Ruben Amorim faces a trip to Bournemouth for a Sunday installation of the Premier League, with Manchester United supporters keeping one eye on the fortunes of a certain side from Bilbao.
Truthfully, the domestic exploits of the 20-time English champions have resulted in a meaningless end to an altogether forgettable campaign, with a 15th-place standing a harrowing sight.
Without a league win in four and a solitary goal to their names, a disgruntled United side is scrambling for momentum ahead of a crucially important Europa League Spanish trip.
With the prospect of additional playing time for a host of academy talents, Harry Amass, Tyler Fredricson, Chido Obi, and Jaydan Kamason are all in line to feature at the Vitality Stadium.
Victory could propel the Reds to the daunting heights of 13th, while defeat could see them drop as low as 16th.
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Unfortunately, following a period of regular selection, Diogo Dalot has picked up an injury and is out of action for several weeks.
The Portuguese full-back has made 51 appearances in all competitions this season, matching the exploits of his captain and compatriot, Bruno Fernandes.
“Diogo is out,” Amorim stated at his press conference. “We don’t know long he is going to be out. But, he is out for these games – we will see until the end.”
However, Matthijs de Ligt and Amad are close to first-team returns, boosting morale within an injury-ravaged squad.
“Amad is near, Matta is near, but the rest is at the same pace,” added Amorim. “Ayden [Heaven] is not ready, so I think that is it.”
Although many view the fixture as a redundant outing, the Portuguese tactician is keen to maintain a professional standard and aims to win each game until the season’s end.
“We need to have that feeling that every game is here is important,” the former Sporting chief stated. “And we have to win every game, because that is a feeling that’s really important – not to lose.
“Of course, you can see the context. But I think we are going to face this game with the best team, because we had a full week to prepare, some of the players did not play against Wolverhampton, so sometimes, if you recover so much of the players, it is a bad thing.
“So I will try to manage everything to win this game and to prepare for the next one.”
He faces an uphill task against a tough Bournemouth team, who are unbeaten in the side’s previous three meetings. Furthermore, the Cherries have hit the Reds for eight during this period.
Throughout a domestic campaign of woe and forgettable outings, Amorim will want to avoid defeat and deny Andoni Iraola’s men the privilege of becoming the sixth Premier League side to complete a league double over his men.
With an eye on Thursday’s trip to face Athletic Bilbao in San Mames Stadium, the Old Trafford faithful await confirmation of how many academy starlets will receive a starting berth.
How do you see Manchester United fairing against a dogged Bournemouth outfit?
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