Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has named a strong starting XI for Friday's Premier League clash with Chelsea, just five days before the Europa League final
20:11, 16 May 2025
Ruben Amorim
Ruben Amorim has made a big decision on Friday(Image: Sky Sports.)
Manchester United's gaffer Ruben Amorim has shed light on his choice to field a robust starting XI for tonight's Premier League face-off with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Despite making five swaps from the squad that suffered a 2-0 loss to West Ham United last weekend, Amorim has rolled out a formidable team for their second-to-last league match of the season, featuring Harry Maguire, Patrick Dorgu, Bruno Fernandes and Amad.
Mason Mount also makes the cut in the starting lineup, set to bolster Rasmus Hojlund up front. Fernandes is slated to pair up with Casemiro in the heart of midfield.
With the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao just five days away, some speculated that Amorim might opt for a B-team tonight.
However, he reckons giving his key players a run-out will be a boon for their final preparations.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 11: Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim looks dejected as Leny Yoro is injured during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and West Ham United FC at Old Trafford on May 11, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Lee Parker - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Man Utd are just five days away from the Europa League final(Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Speaking to Sky Sports, Amorim said: "We have five days to prepare for the final. My focus is on this game and sometimes the best way to prepare for a final is to play, to compete," reports the Manchester Evening News.
"We have experienced some problems in that area. I want to see my team compete, I need to understand my team to prepare the final in a better way and they need time to prove themselves to be ready for the final.
"We also need to compete in the Premier League."
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United have been battling a slew of injuries all season, which makes Amorim's choice to play Maguire and Fernandes tonight seem like a gamble. However, as the United gaffer has noted, injuries are unpredictable.
"The biggest problems we have had this season were in training," Amorim revealed. "We had Amad [injured] in training with one simple play.
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"We had a big injury with Kobbie Mainoo during the season in training, so we never know where there is danger. We have time to recover. We need to be ready to compete. Let's compete today."