Portsmouth's Rasmus Nicolaisen relishing proving English qualities with Southend debut booked

The central defender will be handed his Pompey debut in tomorrow night’s EFL Trophy trip to Southend (7.45pm).

Victory will ensure group qualification for the knock-out stages for a club still classed as reigning holders.

Since Nicolaisen’s arrival on a season-long loan from FC Midtjylland, he has twice served as an unused substitute.

However, the 23-year-old is to be granted his first taste of English football at Roots Hall.

And it will be an opportunity for Pompey followers to at last see the former Denmark youth international in action.

Nicolaisen told The News: ‘I am looking forward to getting out on pitch and showing what type of player I am.

‘I am a left-sided central defender with, I would say, a good physique. I am strong and very aggressive, I think it’s a good match for English football.

‘In terms of quality, you can’t compare the English leagues with the Danish game. The Premier League is the best league in the world and the Championship is also a very, very high level.

‘League One is also very good, it doesn’t bother me at all playing at that level, I just want to play football.

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‘England is power, power, power, so there are some differences. It’s a lot of physique, playing direct and forward, you go into duels.

‘I think it suits my game, that’s what I like. I believe it’s a very good match to be in England.’

Nicolaisen was this season without a first-team appearance for Midtjylland when he arrived at Fratton Park.

It leaves him short of match action ahead of his Blues bow at Southend.

Nonetheless, the EFL Trophy fixture represents the ideal opportunity to blood the left-footed defender and help bring him up to speed.

Nicolaisen knows plenty about the English game, being a Liverpool follower and avid spectator of the Premier League.

And he will sample it himself against the League Two strugglers.

He added: ‘I watch the English Premier League all the time. I like English football a lot.

‘The team I follow the most is Liverpool, that’s my favourite.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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