Manchester United manager Rúben Amorim has issued a stern warning to his players, insisting they carry a “big responsibility” to salvage an otherwise dismal season by winning the Europa League.
United’s build-up to the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Athletic Bilbao was far from ideal, as they suffered a chaotic 4-3 defeat to Brentford in the Premier League on Sunday. The result extended their winless run in the league to six matches and left them 15th in the table, dangerously close to recording their worst league finish since relegation in 1973–74.
Trailing 4-1 at one point, late goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo offered little consolation for a side struggling for consistency. Amorim has now lost 12 of his 24 league matches in charge of United, winning just six.
Despite domestic woes, the Portuguese coach remains focused on the opportunity to reach next season’s Champions League by lifting the Europa League trophy. United head into Thursday’s second leg at Old Trafford with a commanding 3-0 advantage from the first leg in Spain.
“I think it’s stressful to lose games. When we’re fighting for a title, it’s not stressful,” Amorim said.
“I have no doubts that we are playing better and we are understanding the way we play, even in this context.”
Amorim acknowledged the mounting pressure but called on the squad to remain focused on what he considers the most crucial fixture of the season.
“We are losing games in the Premier League, but we are fighting for the Europa League. We have to take all the hits in this moment and focus on Thursday, which is the most important game for us.”
To prioritize Europe, Amorim made eight changes to the starting XI at Gtech Community Stadium, resting key players like Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire.
“We, as a club, need to understand that we have a big responsibility to win the Europa League. We have to prepare a squad for different competitions,” he said.
“Rotation is good for the players. Everyone is playing. We’re preparing for more than one game, but it’s hard.
Of course we want to be competitive—we struggled a lot during these 90 minutes. We have to manage the situation and sometimes take risks.”
