Amorim: Players “working hard” to be fit

Amorim: Players “working hard” to be fit

Ruben Amorim says his injured Manchester United players are working hard to be fit for the Europa League final.

A week away from the big one in Bilbao, against Tottenham Hotspur, the boss held a UEFA press conference at Old Trafford to preview the San Mames clash.

One of the main topics for discussion was the situation regarding the potential make-up of the squad for a match that has a major trophy and a place in next season’s Champions League as its reward.

Although Jonny Evans and Toby Collyer were back in training, and Diogo Dalot was spotted doing individual work, there was no sight of Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven and Matthijs de Ligt in the Carrington session on Wednesday.

“I don’t know if they are going to be available,” Ruben said, when asked about any defenders being missing in the first question of the media briefing at Old Trafford.

“We are going to try to push because it’s the final matches and this is a final, you know that. All the players want to play that really bad. I don’t know, I think they will not go to Chelsea [on Friday], but we will have a possibility to have some of them for the final.

“Dalot is trying really bad. I don’t want to risk Dalot because, when you start getting one injury, second injury [follows] and it’s a big thing. We cannot have these kinds of problems in our squad. So, we will see, but he’s working really hard to get in the final.”

Yoro was withdrawn during Sunday’s Premier League game against West Ham United and looked visibly upset as he made his way off the pitch and down the tunnel.

De Ligt has been out since being injured in the build-up to one of Brentford’s goals in the 4-3 loss to the Bees in the capital recently.

Wing-back Dalot had been a regular starter but has not featured since the match against Wolves last month.

It was encouraging to see another central defender in Evans back with the group, as he has not played since playing Spurs in the Carabao Cup in December, and there are options available to our head coach when it comes to his back three.

Midfielder Collyer was also in full training as the countdown to Chelsea on Friday, and then the final, continues.

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