Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim to use remaining games as Europa League final auditions

MANCHESTER – Manchester United’s players have three English Premier League games to make their mark and earn a spot in the starting line-up for the Europa League final, but they will have to be managed to avoid injuries, boss Ruben Amorim said.

United advanced to the Europa League final, where they will face Tottenham Hotspur, after dispatching Athletic Bilbao on May 8 to give the Old Trafford side one last opportunity to qualify for the Champions League.

Amorim’s side are 15th in the Premier League ahead of the May 11 game against West Ham United and with no hope of even a top-half finish, the Portuguese manager said training sessions would not be as strenuous after a gruelling season.

“We cannot save anything from the Premier League, but I think it’s a good thing for them as we’ll not have a lot of training. They will fight for places in the final in these games,” Amorim told reporters.

“Against Brentford (a 4-3 loss), we had some mistakes that I felt some of our players were thinking about the game (second leg against Athletic). So we have to manage that.

“But we also have to acknowledge that we are Manchester United and we need to win games, also in the Premier League. We have to use every game to improve, even to prepare for the final, but especially to prepare for the future.”

If the Hammers beat United and Spurs avoid defeat against Crystal Palace at home, Amorim’s men would be an unthinkable 17th in the table, one place above the relegation spots, though they cannot go down.

Amorim admitted his side could have done better in the league and deserve all the criticism that has come their way, but he would take decisions that are best for the club.

“I agree with all the critics but, in this moment, I think it’s really clear and we have to be smart. We have to take a risk and we have to take the risk to get a lot of criticism from everybody,” he said.

“But I have to make a choice. What is the best for the club, not what is the best for me. I make a choice in this moment (that) I’m going to try to save all the players, because it’s really important for us to win the final.”

He added: “The weakness, you can see it again. We have so many problems. Even winning these kind of games (against Athletic), you can see during the game, we have a lot of things to improve.”

Amorim confirmed playmaker and captain Bruno Fernandes had no injury concerns, but centre-back Harry Maguire was a doubt.

Meanwhile, West Ham will release goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, defenders Vladimir Coufal and Aaron Cresswell, and striker Danny Ings when their contracts expire at the end of the season.

Hammers boss Graham Potter has opted to allow the quartet to move on as he begins to overhaul the struggling side.

Left-back Cresswell, 35, has spent 11 seasons with West Ham, and holds a club record for the longest unbroken stint as a top-flight player. The 35-year-old Fabianski, 32-year-old right-back Coufal and Ings, 32, were all members of the squad who won the Conference League in 2023.

“They are all brilliant professionals on and off the pitch, with fantastic experience in the Premier League, and clearly loved and admired by their teammates and everyone here at the club,” said Potter on May 9.

“We felt it was important to confirm this news now, out of respect for them and the service they have given to the club, and to allow our supporters to show their appreciation at our final home match of the season.”

Potter is yet to decide on the future of forward Michail Antonio, who has been sidelined since suffering a broken leg in a horror car crash in December. The 35-year-old, who will also be out of contract at the end of the season, is now taking part in light training with his teammates.

“When we have something to announce, we will announce it. I think he’s in a unique situation in terms of how he’s recovering from his injuries,” said Potter.
REUTERS, AFP