Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has admitted it is strange he is not under the same scrutiny as Ange Postecoglou, his Tottenham Hotspur counterpart, who appears to be in danger of the sack even if he wins the Europa League in Wednesday’s final.
The two underperforming Premier League teams, who are 16th and 17th in the domestic standings, meet at Bilbao’s San Mames in an all-or-nothing encounter, with the winners somewhat salvaging a disappointing season by securing silverware and Champions League qualification.
Whilst Postecoglou’s position at Tottenham looks in jeopardy irrespective of the outcome in Spain, Amorim, who joined United in November, is not under the same pressure.
“*I don’t know,” the United head coach replied when asked why that’s so. “I know that in this kind of club, also in Tottenham but especially Manchester United, it’s strange because you have some coaches here that lose some games and are sacked. It’s hard to explain.*
“I think people see what we are trying to do. I think people see that sometimes I’m thinking more in the club than myself.
“People understand, especially the board, that we have a lot of issues that in the context are really hard. I don’t know how to explain how the fans like me in this moment. I will try to prove myself to the fans, to the board but I don’t have an explanation for you.
“But it’s a good thing, I never worry about that. That is a part of being a coach and the most important thing is I know what I am doing, and I explained everything before.
Michael Regan - Uefa
Michael Regan - Uefa
“When we started, I explained about the storm [coming], I explained all the problems that we have to the board, so I was so clear. I explained that I will not change my idea.
*“They cannot say one thing that I said to get job and then I changed my mind. It was the opposite. I think the board can understand that, I think the fans can understand that, but we will reach a moment that we have to win no matter what.*”
Amorim has overseen only six league victories since taking over at United but their campaign has been kept alive by an impressive unbeaten run in the Europa League, featuring knockout wins over Real Sociedad, Lyon and Athletic Bilbao.
“*Nothing is going to change our season,” he said on the impact of winning a trophy. “Players know, everybody knows the stuff, the fans know. But winning a European title can help us to have that feeling that can help us to build [for] the future.*”
'Nothing is going to change our season'
This is United’s third final in three seasons, and for the **FA Cup**final triumph over Manchester City 12 months ago, Amorim’s predecessor, Erik ten Hag, decided not to play a striker and instead fielded Bruno Fernandes as a false No 9.
Asked if the 3-4-3 shape that United now deploy would allow such a move, Amorim said: “Our system is the normal system that can change the characteristics. It’s not about playing as a striker or without a striker.
“It’s a system like any other where you can change the characteristics but it doesn’t matter what happened in the last final because it was a different team, different competition, different context, so everything was different.
“I just focus on the way we play, the way Tottenham play, what we can do to be better than the last two games. That was my focus and not the last time that we won a cup.”
Getty: Ash Donelon
Getty: Ash Donelon
Leny Yoro, Diogo Dalot and Joshua Zirzkee are all available after injuries as United took a 26-man squad to northern Spain. Zirkzee, who was set to be out for the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury, is a surprise inclusion.
“*They recovered quite well, they pushed,*” said Amorim, who remains without injured defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez.
“*Of course we respect the feeling of the player, but we pushed a little bit because they wanted to be part of the team and that is a very, very good sign, and it’s very good for us. Of course they are limited in the minutes for the game, but they can help us to win the game.*”