Amorim is preparing to take Friday’s trip to Chelsea seriously ahead of next week’s Europa League final against Tottenham
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Ruben Amorim has told his Manchester United team they could play their way in or out of the side for the Europa League final when they face Chelsea on Friday.
United go to Stamford Bridge for their last fixture before facing Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao with Amorim admitting he has not yet decided who will start in the biggest game of their season.
The Portuguese is waiting to see how United, who have only taken two points from their last seven league games, perform against Enzo Maresca’s side before making his mind up.
It gives players a chance to force their way into his starting 11 in the San Mames. “Yes, that is clear,” Amorim said. “I know already the starting 11 I am thinking for Chelsea and then I will see. Even the way we play there against Chelsea, I will see it and it is going to important for the next one.”
United will be without defenders Diogo Dalot, Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt as they wait to see if each will be available for the Europa League final but Amorim is intending to take most of his other premier players to Chelsea.
He explained: “We need to perform and they need to perform, that is an important thing. If a player can get an injury and has not recovered for this game and can put in risk the final he will not play but if it is not that situation he will have a lot of time to recover and we cannot spend eight or nine days without a game. That is a bad thing for the final.”
Amorim has revealed that, when Yoro went off in Sunday’s defeat to West Ham, he thought the Frenchman had suffered such a serious injury that he would need to change his summer transfer plans to bring in a centre-back.
(Getty Images)
He added: “I was thinking about even the next year, the squad, if we need another guy if it is a long injury, that is my concern. It is not just about the final. I want every player fit. Leny Yoro in his foot he had that problem. I was so concerned about next season, the next squad, the way we build up the squad, that was my biggest concern.”
United have only taken 24 points from 25 league games under Amorim. He believes their performances have been better than the numbers suggest but thinks if he said so, he risks looking made.
“It is hard to talk about that without looking like a crazy guy but if you see the xG, for example, in the last games, ours is bigger,” he said. “Against Wolves, we are so near and they score a set piece. This game was the first time they reach our goal and they score and we had our opportunities, especially in the second half. I can understand that but it is hard to talk about that in this moment.”