Lindelof praised after tackling thief who snatched an elderly woman's bag

Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof has been praised after tackling a thief who had stolen an elderly woman’s handbag.

The centre-back is in Sweden with his wife Maja and their son as he enjoys a couple of weeks off before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad return for pre-season training next week, and he found himself being hailed a hero on Monday after his actions helped authorities arrest a man for stealing.

A police statement said they received a call that a man in his 30s had stolen a bag belonging to a woman in her 90s after he cycled past her and snatched the bag which was lay in a basket on her walker. 

The man then fled the scene only to be chased down by a man, which is understood to be Lindelof, who then held the suspected thief down for five minutes until the police arrived.

A United insider told Goal: “We’re proud of his actions but Victor believes he was doing what anybody would have done in the same situation.”

While a statement from Vasteras Police said: “The police want to take the opportunity and thank the witness for a quick and wise intervention to restore the plaintiff's property.”

Meanwhile Lindelof’s centre-back partner Harry Maguire’s hearing for an incident in Mykonos, Greece, on Friday is expected to be heard in a Greek court tomorrow.

Maguire and two others deny police claims they assaulted three officers and then attempted to bribe them in Mykonos after a fight had allegedly broke out as Maguire tried to defend his sister, Daisy, who had reportedly been been stabbed in the arm.

The England international does not need to be present as his hearing and is back in the United Kingdom having flown home over the weekend. 

He will be represented by his lawyer at the court and it is still not clear what specific charges the defender faces, although it is now believed to be viewed as a misdemeanour offence.

Gareth Southgate has a decision to make over whether or not to include the defender in his squad for the upcoming internationals at the start of next month. The England manager is set to announce his squad on Tuesday.