Manchester United head coach wants players to “fight for places in the final” with last three league games, but admits there needs to be some caution
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has asked his players to use the club’s remaining Premier League fixtures to claim a place in the starting lineup for the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur.
United have had a disappointing season in the Premier League and currently sit in 15th place in the table, but Amorim sees their next three matches as important for preparing for the upcoming final.
“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,” said Amorim.
However, the head coach pointed out that they would have to be cautious and “manage” the situation to avoid injuries.
The Europa League final, scheduled for 21 May at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain, is United’s golden opportunity to secure silverware this season and return to the Champions League in the next. United have recently prioritised games in Europe over domestic games, something which has provoked the ire of club legends.
Amorim understands the criticism but believes hedging their bets on Europe in the short-term will ultimately be better for the club in the long term.
“I agree with all the critics but in this moment I think it’s really clear and we have to be smart,” said the Portuguese. “We have to take a risk and we have to take the risk to get a lot of criticism from everybody.
“I have to make a choice, what is best for the club not what is 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.”
