Amorim bets it all on Europa League

Manager Ruben Amorim needs to do everything he can to get his Manchester United players back on their feet ahead of the Europa League quarter-final second leg against Lyon.

Coach Ruben Amorim is having trouble at MU.

Ten minutes before the end of the match at St James' Park last weekend, Manchester United fans in the stands were still singing a song in honour of coach Ruben Amorim, which continued until the final whistle. The song was called "It's a Heartache" by Bonnie Tyler - a meaningful coincidence.

Amorim has had his fair share of headaches since leaving Sporting Lisbon six months ago. The chaos, pressure and uncertainty at Old Trafford must have aged him. In an interview in February, Amorim admitted he felt like he was 50, despite having turned 40 earlier this year.

A season to forget

The 4-1 defeat to Newcastle in Round 32 marked Manchester United's 14th defeat in the Premier League this season, equalling the club's worst record in history. At the same time, the Old Trafford team will also end the season with the lowest total points they have ever had in Premier League history.

No one wants to be the manager of a team that goes down in history in such a forgettable way. Amorim is no exception. After the defeat at Newcastle, when the opponent did not even have a head coach on the bench (Eddie Howe was hospitalized due to health problems), Amorim's face showed sadness.

The young Portuguese coach had the look of a gambler who knows he is holding a losing hand but still tries to hold on until the last minute. In 32 matches since taking charge of MU, Amorim has suffered 11 defeats.

This figure could have been even worse if it weren't for the fact that MU faced opponents of a lower level in the Europa League. Former player Roy Keane even called Man United players "cheaters" on Sky Sports .

Keane believes Amorim probably doesn't know how bad the current United squad is: "Amorim must be confused. He can't believe how bad this team is. The Premier League seems to have taken him and the coaching staff by surprise. Despite careful research, I think he's shocked by the poor quality of this group of players."

Amorim made five changes from the side that drew 2-2 with Lyon in the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals last week, with a view to the return leg at Old Trafford in midweek. He handed Premier League debuts to Altay Bayindir and Harry Amass, while starting Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof, both of whom are set to leave United this summer.

Avoiding injuries was a priority, but when Joshua Zirkzee went off in the 55th minute with a hamstring problem – which almost ended his season – the manager had to replace him with Rasmus Hojlund, while Mason Mount and Luke Shaw also came on, replacing Amass and Alejandro Garnacho.

First-choice goalkeeper Andre Onana was rested and watched the game on television to regain his composure after a poor performance in Lyon, where he was responsible for both goals. Bayindir, despite being given rare opportunities, failed to capitalise, conceding four goals.

While the first three goals were not directly the fault of the Turkish star, the fourth clearly stemmed from Bayindir's missed kick, which allowed Joelinton to steal the ball and set up Harvey Barnes for the second, plunging United into misery.

Amorim is also helpless with MU.

Distributing the ball from the back, especially from the goalkeeper, is a key element of Amorim’s 3-4-3 system. However, Bayindir completed just 27 of his 57 passes. It would not be a surprise to see Onana return to goal in the Europa League second leg, although his performance in Lyon suggests that this option is not without its risks.

The only hope

Amorim has now staked everything on the Europa League - a huge gamble. It is United's last chance to find redemption and honour in this terrible season, with the reward being a trophy and a return to the Champions League next season. That will also increase Amorim's transfer budget and give the club more appeal for summer targets.

Amorim admitted the difficulties after the Tyneside defeat were mainly psychological: “It’s hard to feel positive about this game at the moment. The best thing is to focus on the next game. We can’t change this result, but the next game is very important. We can’t repeat the mistakes we made today against Lyon.”

However, it is difficult to revive the spirit of a tired MU team like the present. The only support for them is that Lyon is not at the level of Newcastle, at the same time Old Trafford can also help MU to gain more strength. Amorim will need an explosive performance from the players, need them to stand up and prove their mettle.

United have only reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League, and there is still a long way to go to salvage the 2024/25 season. Their current 14th place in the Premier League table is forgettable, but all that could be erased if they win the Europa League.

It was a very expensive gamble for Amorim. If they fail to win the Europa League or are even eliminated by Lyon in the quarter-finals, MU will have to continue the remaining journey in the Premier League with shame. And even the Portuguese coach's future at Old Trafford next season will be shaky.

Newcastle's 4 goals drowned MU. Early morning of April 14, MU suffered a 1-4 defeat to Newcastle at St James' Park in round 32 of the Premier League.

Source: https://znews.vn/amorim-dat-cuoc-tat-ca-vao-europa-league-post1545785.html