Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United are still in with a shout of silverware as they take on Athletic Bilbao in the Europa League semi-finals – PA/Bradley Collyer
Ruben Amorim says that winning the Europa League will not “save” Manchester United’s season as the problems at the club run too deep.
Speaking before the semi-final first leg against Athletic Bilbao, United’s head coach said that “something more in the core of our club” needs to change to bring about success.
“Everybody knows it’s really important for our season,” Amorim said. Winning the competition brings the huge benefit of qualifying for the Champions League as well as a financial boon.
However, Amorim added: “We know nothing is going to save our season but this can be huge, winning a trophy, get in the Champions League to play European games next year could change a lot of things in our club in the summer.”
Asked whether, rather like Jürgen Klopp when he was appointed Liverpool manager in 2015, he needed to turn “doubters into believers”, Amorim said: “It’s not the most important thing. Of course people are going to look in a different way for this season, especially for the coach. Again, it’s something more in the core of our club. We need to change a lot of things and we need to be consistent.
“[Winning the] Europa League will not change anything in our problems – it’s going to give us Champions League next year, more money to spend – but the problems are still there.
A late Harry Maguire winner put Manchester United through to the Europa League semi-finals – Getty Images/Oli Scarff
“We have to change the minds of our fans with consistency, good decisions, good recruitment, good academy. This is what we need to change to take our club back to the top. This is more of a shortcut to go to the European games. Nothing more. The problems we need to solve in a different way with more time and we’re really clear on that.”
Nevertheless, United’s campaign has come down to the Europa League, as they languish in 14th place in the Premier League. With four games to go, finishing where they currently sit would represent their lowest placing since they were relegated in 21st in 1973. Only three times since (not including the year they won the Division Two title immediately after) have they finished outside the top 10 and not since 1989-90.
Athletic, who have the added motivation of hosting the final on May 21, are dangerous opponents. They are fourth in La Liga, with the best defensive record, having lost only five league games all season. That is the same as the three giants ahead of them: Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. They also boast the highly-coveted winger Nico Williams, who is high on Arsenal’s wish list and who Amorim singled out as “a special player”.
Both Amad Diallo and Matthijs de Ligt have returned to the United squad, after long-term injuries. Amorim, however, played down the prospects of either of them starting.
“To start, no, but they can be in the squad for the game,” he said, adding that United would stay in Spain and train on Friday before Sunday’s Premier League fixture away to Brentford. It is why he has brought a larger squad to Bilbao including 17-year-old Chido Obi and Sékou Koné, 19, who are not eligible to play in the Europa League.
Amorim will need more than trophies to solve deep-rooted issues
When Jürgen Klopp was appointed Liverpool manager in October 2015, he delivered a memorable line that became a slogan on T-shirts and the title of an Amazon Prime documentary series when he decided to step down nine glorious years later.
“You have to change from doubter to believer,” Klopp declared on that day at Anfield. Liverpool eventually finished eighth that season in a campaign that ended with a Europa League final.
Liverpool lost in Switzerland and were well beaten by Unai Emery’s Sevilla. It was a frustrating final for them, after they took the lead but were then over-run in the second-half following the Spaniard’s smart tactical changes.
Klopp came in for criticism for his ineffective yet demonstrative behaviour of the touchline in Basel, which did not appear to improve his team’s lacklustre performance. It looked like he had not – yet – got to grips with the squad.
There are undoubtedly parallels with Ruben Amorim. But Klopp did not plumb the depths the Portuguese has since he succeeded Erik ten Hag last November, with no expected new-manager bounce in the league.
Before the first leg of the Europa League semi-final, Amorim was reminded of Klopp’s quote but he was brutally honest – as ever – on the task he faces at United.
Winning the Europa League would simply mask the situation with a “short cut” into the Champions League, even if he knows that qualifying for the tournament will vastly improve his chances of making the changes he wants to make to United’s woefully under-performing squad.
United’s season will comfortably be their worst since the inception of the Premier League – Reuters/Scott Heppell
Liverpool’s season in 2016 might provide some succour to United. How many survivors from it were there when they won the Champions League just three years later? Remarkably just one. Roberto Firmino.
Given the side that then took the field against Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday to claim the Premier League title had five survivors from the one crowned European champions in 2019, that is some testimony to the work Klopp achieved and how quickly he achieved it.
How many of his current squad would Amorim, truly, want to retain if he is to emulate Klopp? Beyond Amad Diallo, Leny Yoro, Patrick Dorgu, Matthijs de Ligt (maybe), Mason Mount (if he can stay fit) and 30-year-old captain Bruno Fernandes, it is unclear who he really wants to keep. That is remarkably few.
Can Amorim do the same as Klopp? At present that seems a huge stretch. One of the more damning statistics doing the rounds is that his fellow Portuguese Vitor Pereira took over at Wolverhampton Wanderers in December and has since picked up 15 points more than his compatriot. Pereira has won 10 league games compared to Amorim’s four in the same period.
Both coaches play the same 3-4-2-1 system and Amorim’s defence has been that Pereira took over a squad used to that line-up while he did not. It is why he wants Matheus Cunha.
That may well be true, but this is Manchester United. While there remains a huge well of goodwill towards Amorim, and not least from an admirably understanding fanbase, what a difference winning a trophy would make.
It would, certainly, help turn those doubters into believers given silverware is what football is all about. Amorim argues that United are ready to deal with the pressure of an ‘all or nothing’ situation.
“I think they are prepared,” he said. “If you see this team with some problems during the year, they are able to win cups. That is also a pressure. The English [FA] cup is a big thing in our league. They are prepared.
“Every player is an international. The context of this season is really complicated in every aspect. I don’t see it as an issue. They are excited to be here and they are capable of winning. It could change our summer and change the next years. We have to deal with a lot of things in our club and we will be fine with Champions League or without Champions League.”
That may well be the case given the financial powerhouse and the monolith that United represent. But it is an indictment of the club that 12 years after Sir Alex Ferguson retired they have a coach talking about such deep-rooted problems. If Amorim is correct he should be admired for that. But opportunity knocks. Klopp did not win the Europa League. Amorim might. It would certainly accelerate that process of turning those doubters into believers.
