Manchester United will be eager to return to winning ways and build momentum heading into the UEFA Europa League final when they lock horns with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Friday night. Ruben Amorim has greeted a mixed bag of updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Leny Yoro is the latest absentee after picking up a foot injury last weekend against West Ham United. The French defender has joined Lisandro Martinez (knee), Diogo Dalot (calf), Matthijs de Ligt (knee), Ayden Heaven (ankle), and Joshua Zirkzee (hamstring) on the sidelines.
However, Dalot is back on the grass, while Jonny Evans and Toby Collyer have resumed training this week. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Amorim spoke about the time difference between Friday’s Premier League match and the UEFA Europa League final, discussing the impact it will have on his players.
The Manchester United manager said, “If there is a player that can get an injury [and is] not recovered for this game so [it] will put him in risk for the final, he will not play. But if it’s not that situation, we will have a lot of time to recover, and we cannot spend eight days, nine days without a game.”
“That is a bad thing for the final so I think they will be prepared for the game. The best thing to prepare the final is to play the game. The players have to understand that if you play or don’t play against Chelsea, it means nothing to the final, that is important. I’m just preparing the game of Chelsea, that is my focus. We want to win and we want to perform.”
Andre Onana will retain his spot between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him against Chelsea on Friday. The central defensive unit should feature Tyler Fredricson, Victor Lindelof, and Luke Shaw.
Tyler Fredricson, Victor Lindelof, and Luke Shaw.
Patrick Dorgu and Harry Amass will likely start as the two wing-backs, with Christian Eriksen and Kobbie Mainoo pairing up in the central areas. Finally, Chido Obi-Martin should lead the line for the away side against Chelsea, with Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount providing creative support.
Predicted Manchester United XI: Onana; Fredricson, Lindelof, Shaw; Dorgu, Eriksen, Mainoo, Amass; Mount, Bruno Fernandes; Obi
