Ruben Amorim: Recovery from Europa League ‘so much harder’ than Champions League | OneFootball

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim stressed the importance of recovery as his depleted side limp into Sunday’s clash with Arsenal looking to “survive”.

The Gunners make the journey to Old Trafford buoyed by Tuesday’s 7-1 Champions League win away to PSV Eindhoven and are the favourites to beat a side struggling for numbers and freshness.

United were without 11 players for Thursday’s trip to Real Sociedad in the Europa League, which came hot on the heels of their FA Cup exit to Fulham going the distance and playing the second half against Ipswich down to 10 men.

Amorim does not expect his injury issues to ease in Sunday’s return to Premier League action, admitting after the 1-1 last-16 first-leg draw in Spain that United “need to survive Sunday” against Arsenal.

Asked after that comment if this was the worst fixture United could have in the circumstances and whether it was just a matter of getting through it, the head coach said: “Yeah, any fixture.

“In the Premier League, every game is really important. In our moment we need to win. It’s always a problem when we don’t win, so we have to focus on everything at the same time.

“I think the biggest problem is not to have all the players, because in the beginning (of my reign) people talk about our rotation, especially in Europe. We were changing all the time and it’s because of this, because it’s really hard.

“The Europa League is so much harder, in my opinion, than the Champions League – not the games, but the recovery to play in the Premier League on the weekend, so we have to deal with that.”

United remain without Lisandro Martinez, Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo, Luke Shaw, Jonny Evans and Mason Mount, as well as goalkeepers Tom Heaton and Altay Bayindir.

Harry Maguire and Manuel Ugarte this week joined them on the sidelines, with Amorim pessimistic about their chances of featuring on Sunday.

Patrick Dorgu serves the second of his three-match domestic ban for his sending-off against Ipswich, with such issues making rotating or freshening things up almost impossible.

“Yeah (Thursday’s second leg against Sociedad is important), but when you are in this kind of club you cannot think like that, with a small squad in this moment,” Amorim said.

“So we are trying to see all the players that are fresh and who not in danger of getting an injury.

“Even that we have to risk a little bit, but we have to be competitive on Sunday.”

One player who will be back available is 17-year-old striker Chido Obi, who was left out of United’s Europa League squad.

The teenage talent has shown flashes of promise off the bench and is looking to make his full debut against the club he left earlier this season.

“Everybody can start,” Amorim said. “If they are training (on Friday), if they play (against Sociedad), they can be ready and Chido is on the list so he can play.”

United’s problems on the field are clear and their issues off it will be raised visibly and vocally before the game.

The 1958 fan group have organised an anti-Glazer protest, with a march starting at the Tollgate pub at 3.15pm heading to Old Trafford.

The supporters’ group have urged United supporters to wear black to symbolise how the club is “slowly dying”.