Manchester United enter the festive – and most hectic – period of fixtures on the back of an emphatic Manchester derby win. However, they remain in the bottom half of the Premier League table.
It’s pretty unfathomable for some of the more senior supporters to see the Reds sat 13th-placed after 16 matches. For the younger generation, it’s something they’ve, unfortunately, grown quite accustomed to.
Thursday provides Ruben Amorim the opportunity to book United’s spot in the Carabao Cup semi-final. They’ll have to overturn Tottenham Hotspur, who’ve also struggled with tumultuous form, on their home soil, having already sustained a 3-0 defeat at the hands of the London outfit at Old Trafford earlier this season – albeit under Erik ten Hag.
Amorim enters the tie with a significant bonus – just like the advantages you can get if you choose to get a BetMGM bonus – in the form of an almost fully-fit squad; the only expected absentees are Luke Shaw and Mason Mount.
After Thursday, United’s final pre-Christmas contest comes on Sunday when they host one of the league’s surprise high-flyers, Bournemouth, at home in a 2pm kick-off (untelevised in the UK). Andona Iraola has done a stellar job with the Cherries this term, to the point they’re now in the mix for European qualification; they’re sixth-placed and only two points behind reigning champions Manchester City.
Amorim’s key quotes from today’s press conference
Amorim addressed the media this morning with numerous key points on the agenda. His press conference came just over 12 hours after journalist Henry Winter released quotes from Marcus Rashford last night, confirming the player’s desires for a ‘new challenge’ away from his boyhood club.
“He (Rashford) is right,” Amorim said in response. “We have here a new challenge, the biggest in football. We are in a difficult situation. I hope all my players are ready.
“This kind of club needs big talent, and he’s a big talent, so he just needs to perform at the highest level, and that is my focus. I just want to help Marcus.”
He was, expectedly, probed over the prospect of Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho returning to the squad tomorrow evening following their mysterious omission over the weekend. Pre and post-match, the boss assured neither of the forwards was injured and that it was simply a selection decision.
“We have one more training, but it’s the same as the other players,” he said of the pair. “If they train well, then I have to make a choice. We’ll see at the end of training – I expect the best of each player every day, so we will see after training.”
