United called upon the big dawgs to accompany manager Ruben Amorim for his presser ahead of tomorrow's final that some are saying is the most important game post-Sir Alex Ferguson as current captain Bruno Fernandes and former captain Harry Maguire joined the United boss.
There were positive team news updates and also reiteration of what winning or losing this final would mean but it is clear that Ruben Amorim wants to lift the Europa League.
Amorim himself admits that he didn't know that Joshua Zirkzee would be training again this season after the United boss said he would be out for the rest of the season when the Dutchman picked up a hamstring injury in the 4-1 loss to Newcastle last month. He was seen training with Leny Yoro and Diogo Dalot who were also injury doubts ahead of this much but Amorim says that they lack minutes however, can definitely help United win the game.
But Matthijs De Ligt who also traveled with the squad, will be out.
United's manager says that winning the Europa League will cause people to "look at our team in a different way" and that while it won't truly make the season a success, it can help United with their future.
Amorim says "it's not the case" when asked about whether losing the final would lead to more staff redundancies. However, he admits that in order to survive and maintain players, one must be in the Champions League even though with the size of United and the "big brand" that they are, the club will always make money. He adds that he is playing for more than himself.
Skipper Bruno Fernandes says that they can be successful at least in the Europa League and that he's not necessarily thinking about potentially being the sixth Man Utd captain to lift a European trophy despite how proud he'd feel should that be the case.
Amorim is unsure what advantage his side could have over Spurs after he picked strong teams in the last two matches whereas Ange Postecoglou chose much weaker lineups so as to rest some key players ahead of tomorrow's final.
The MUFC manager believed that with the gap between last Friday's defeat to Chelsea and the final, it gave him the opportunity to play who he wanted knowing that there was enough time to rest and recover.
The skipper says that it's a different context to the last time United were in Bilbao as he scored 2 goals to see his side win 3-0 in that semifinal first leg and that if United don't give too many goals or opportunities away to Spurs, then 2 goals maybe enough. He added that scoring 3 goals against a side like Athletic Club isn't common and that the atmosphere when United played at the San Mames was one of the best he's played in.
Amorim was asked whether he would use a false 9 in the final similarly to what Erik ten Hag did last season in the FA Cup final. He said that in his system, "you can change the characteristics" regardless of who plays. He says that he wasn't really focused on the last cup win but rather the last two games and how to be better than Spurs.
Ex-skipper Harry Maguire says that it is a shared frustration of the players and the fans that they can turn up in important games but not show this level of performance consistently. "We haven't won enough in the Premier League."
Maguire believes that there will be a big improvement next season especially with a full pre-season.
The former captain says that "it's amazing to be back in the team" and play regular football after a period in his United career in which he received a lot of online abuse and ridicule. He mentions how he tries to stay level-headed and not read too much into what people are saying whether it be positive or negative.
Bruno says that every game is massive not just finals with a lot at stake when it comes to playing for United. The skipper agrees with his manager in that what happens tomorrow won't affect the past but can do so for the future and reiterated that winning the Europa League will get you into the Champions League, bring in more revenu and attract more players but also agrees that United will always attract players and make money because of who the club is.
When it comes to Spurs, he says that they are a team they know well but that it's a "completely different game" playing in a final of a European competition.
The manager finds it difficult to talk about the problems of the club and how long it could take to fix considering their focus is on the final. However, he repeats what he said previously that the club have to change everything: "the week at Carrington, the recruitment, the academy. I think we need to improve."
Winning this tournament won't solve all the issues faced by the club and that there are bigger things to deal with in order to put the club back on top. Winning the final could help give them the strength to do what jobs need to be done.
Amorim believes that part of the reason as to why his job is safe is because people can see what they're trying to do at the club and that they can see he thinks more about the club than himself.
"I never worry about that. I know what I'm doing."
He stated clearly to the board all the problems at the club and that he won't change his approach and is something the club can understand rather than him going against his word at some point during his tenure.
The Manager is also not thinking too much about extra-time and/or penalties when it comes to his team selection. He's just picking the best side from the start but also wants to have options on the bench in case the game isn't decided in normal time.
Final Thoughts
That is a big boost for us to potentially have all of Zirkzee, Yoro and Dalot available. Sucks with De Ligt but with the other three and specifically Yoro and Dalot, if they start, I think we will all feel a lot more confident that we can get the win knowing they're in our defense. Very surprising about Zirkzee though.
Why would you ask the manager this question about the staff? I feel like this isn't what you ask the manager. His job is to coach the team and focus on the football. How's he supposed to decide what happens to the staff or what the club do?
Of course everything has a chain reaction but it isn't up to him or the players to determine the futures of the staff. But it would most certainly make a lot of people nervous should we lose because that would obviously mean less money coming into the club. That may cause Sir Jim Ratcliffe to get his axe out again in an attempt to save costs even further.
Amorim is right in that United will always make a lot of money because of the size of the club. I found it interesting though, that he said "big brand" when mentioning the size. That's correct as well. We have become more of a brand over the past 12 years than a football club which is why we see things like we are the sescond-most valuable club in the world despite being awful for over a decade. How does that happen?
It would just be great if we could actually be good on the pitch because that is where the main focus lies. None of this Thursday night, finishing in the bottom half of the table crap anymore!
I actually prefer to pick your best players in preparation for a final. Of course there's that risk of injury but I'd rather they play some minutes and keep their rhythm rather than sit idle like some of the Spurs players.
It was enough time between West Ham and Chelsea and Chelsea and the final for players to rest so I agreed with what Amorim did whereas there were some who would've preferred a second-string side. It's better to use the players you're going to use in a big game rather than not.
That false 9 thing is something that I think a lot of us may want Amorim to do. Hojlund's form and more disappointingly, his performances have been utter shite causing many to want to see him dropped and a false 9 used.
It did work towards the end of last season not just the final and Hojlund himself benefitted from it as he came off the bench and scored in both the wins over Newcastle and Brighton.
I don't think Amorim will do this as I believe he prefers to play with an actual striker. There's also been several opportunities for him to try this yet he's persisted with the underperforming Dane up front.
At least if push comes to shove, we know that we can change things up and use a false 9.
This turning up when it matters is great to an extent because it means that we have a chance in big matches but you simply cannot switch things on and off like that. At some point, you're going to get found out and that could be tomorrow night. We've managed to get through some tight games (mainly Lyon) but Spurs are the first Premier League opposition we face in the competition and you know how we've performed in the league.
I do like the fact that Maguire mentioned pre-season. I think that that aspect of a new manger is so important in terms of getting to know his side better. Amorim hasn't had a pre-season and it can make some difference heading into next season.
I don't think INEOS will be sacking Amorim even if he loses the final. He is their guy and they won't want people to look at them sacking their first manager befre he's even managed a full season without that pre-season and backing in the transfer window.
It would also cost a pretty penny to get rid of him and bring in others and we are tight for money.
On top of this, we can see what he's trying to do with this team. Compared to previous managers, Amorim has stuck to his beliefs through it all even when everyone was calling for him to change his approach and formation.
As time went by, while results haven't improved, some performances certainly did to a point where not only was his style clear but that United should've won games. Due to players not being good enough, the deserved result didn't come. That just shows that it isn't a system problem and that many of this squad need to go.
He's also kept to his word that storms will come and that he won't change who he is as a manager.
There is something about Amorim, you know? Maybe we said the same about Erik ten Hag but I always felt that him abandoning his approach not long after taking the job was always going to lead to disaster, just as it did. Amorim said that if he changed his approach now (the early stages of his reign) then in a year's time, we will be back having the same problems. That is what happened to ten Hag. Eventually, all the issues when he took over returned even if we won the League and FA Cups.
The fact that he's said so many things will happen and it did tells me that Amorim is AmoriHIM. Give him what he wants and I think we'll be okay.
Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Amorim and Harry Maguire spoke to the media ahead of Man Utd's Europa League final against Spurs | Bruno Fernandes, Ruben Amorim and Harry Maguire | Images via Manchester United official X (@ManUtd)