Manchester United are fully focused on their all-important Europa League semi-final first leg against Athletic Bilbao on Thursday after getting a last-gasp draw at Bournemouth
Manchester United are fast approaching crunch time in their 2024/25 season with the first leg of their Europa League semi-final against Athletic Bilbao on the horizon. United have been in rotten form in the Premier League, where they sit 14th, but know the Europa League can offer redemption.
Victory in the Europa League final on May 21 will provide a place in next season’s Champions League – something that could be key in them attracting players in the summer transfer window.
As they showed in their 1-1 draw against Bournemouth on Sunday, United remain an extremely limited side, which has now gone five games without a win in the Premier League. But beat Athletic Club over two legs, and then beat Tottenham or Bodo/Glimt in the final, and the campaign will look very different.
That is the focus for Ruben Amorim, who is preparing his players for the trip to northern Spain for Thursday’s match. Thankfully, he has received some good news to start the week.
READ MORE: Ruben Amorim handed huge boost with three Man Utd stars returning this weekREAD MORE: Bournemouth fume at VAR controversy in Man Utd draw – ‘It doesn’t make sense’
Triple injury boost
Amad Diallo, Matthijs de Ligt and Toby Collyer are expected to return to training this week, handing Amorim a timely boost. United have been hindered by injuries this season but need as many players ad they can get for the Athletic Bilbao games.
Amad has not played since the 2-0 win over Leicester on February 7 due to an ankle injury, but started training by himself last week and could be given some minutes against Brentford on Sunday with a view to playing in the Europa League semi-final second leg on May 8.
De Ligt has missed seven games, while Collyer has been sidelined with a “small issue” sustained earlier this month. Amorim will play a weakened team against Brentford on Sunday, with the game coming just 65 hours after the first leg finishes in Bilbao.
Fernandes’ dig at Hojlund
Bruno Fernandes has demanded more from Rasmus Hojlund after he scored in the draw at Bournemouth. Hojlund has endured a poor season, but will be needed against Athletic Club, with Joshua Zirkzee injured and Chido Obi ineligible.
“Strikers are about scoring goals and we all know that, he knows the responsibility of being the No.9 of United and he has to score goals, that’s the demand of a club like this, not only for him, but for everyone else,” Fernandes told MUTV.
“Everyone that plays here who has the qualities to get into the box to score goals has to do it. Today, it was Rasmus, and everyone is very happy to see a striker scoring and hopefully it’s going to give him a little bit of a push for what’s coming.”
Amorim’s reality check
Amorim says the plan is to get United back to a place where they can challenge for the Premier League title. But he emphasised that he is not “crazy” and that he knows it will take a long time.
“We are in different levels in this moment, but then explain that everything can change. I remember when I start seeing Premier League, was the opposite,” he said.
“So everything can change. We need to focus on step by step, not try to think too far ahead. We have an ultimate goal that is winning the Premier League.
“Again, I’m not crazy, I know it’s not going to be next year, but we are trying to build something and the small things are really important and we did that during this year. We need to improve next year. It’s really important for the fans, we know that, but we need to be honest with them and to work hard every day.”
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