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Ruben Amorim says there is a possibility of players returning from injury in time to face Leeds United.
The Manchester United head coach was speaking during the press conference ahead of Sunday’s match at Elland Road.
Injuries
The first question was about whether there are players returning from injury or having new problems.
“There will be no problems, no other problems,” Amorim replied. “We’ll see tomorrow. We have more and more training. I don’t think so, that’s what they’re going to do.” [be available]everyone will recover, but we’ll see.”
Then he was asked:
“Obviously players like Harry and Bruno would be a huge boost to a place like Elland Road. I’m assuming you haven’t experienced this before in any way. And what do you expect from that?”
Amorim replied: “No, I heard it’s a big derby, a great environment, a big rivalry. But every game in the Premier League is so tough for us. So it’s one more game. I know it means a lot to the fans, but we have to go there and try to win.”
Amorim was then asked if he is happy with the progress the team is making and where he is in the competition.
“I think we’re playing better,” he said. “If we have the full squad, we obviously attack better. We are not good enough in the details. We should have more points at the moment, but always want more. And we should, again, have more points in the table.”
To Sunday’s opponents
The next reporter asked Amorim how difficult he expects Sunday’s match to be.
“They have a lot of pace, and sometimes we struggle with pace,” Amorim admitted. “They are confident, but we prove that we can win any game in any situation and in any context. So we will try to do that again. We know they are changing the system. They have different players up front. In the last game they alternate the two players who are usually the starters. They have good players, a good manager, a great environment. It will be a tough game.”
How does the rivalry with Leeds compare to what he experienced at Sporting and Benfica?
“It’s different. I’ve never experienced this before. In Portugal it’s a big rivalry. Here it’s the same. Different environment, different culture. But the noise will be big. We just have to perform. But it’s difficult to compare different cultures, different derbies, different history. Let’s just concentrate on the game. In the beginning it’s eleven against our eleven, and we’ll try to win.”
“When you play for Manchester United you have to be prepared for everything. You have the best league in the world. Every game now, and you see, every week is a lot of draws, you are never in control, you never understand what is going to happen. At the end of that week. So it will be difficult, but it is always difficult in the Premier League these days.”
The January transfer window
The next question was: “We’ve also seen Liverpool and Chelsea drop points this week, and it feels like your side, at mid-stage, have an ample chance of reaching the Champions League. Does the fact that you’ve put yourself in such a promising position change what you think this month when it comes to the transfer window? Is it worth going the extra mile to ensure you make the top four or top five?”
Amorim replied:
“The transfer window will not… we are not having a conversation at the moment to make any changes in the squad. There is a process, there is an idea that will continue. We are close to the Champions League places, but we also have almost eight teams behind us. So let’s concentrate on the next match, exactly that. Our focus is to win the next match.”
Then he was asked:
“You’ve played against some very young players in the last few games, Fletcher, Lacey, Mantato. Given the hostile nature of the environment on Sunday, does that affect your selection at all?”
“No, of course we are looking at everything, but they have to be prepared,” he said. “You can see the team. That’s impossible. We can’t stretch the players we don’t have at the moment. But of course I will try to put together a team that is ready for that. Then I will try to read the game and understand what I have to do to help them win the game.”
Is he confident that the young people can handle the atmosphere?
“They have to,” he said. “It’s a match in a hostile environment, but they have to be ready for it and they have to experience that. But it will be difficult for every player, even for the guys with a lot of experience. But again, we have already experienced that. Bilbao last year was great, the sounds. I think the feeling is completely different, but they have to be ready.”
Finally, the boss was asked: “If players knock on your door and ask if they can leave now, then Joshua Zirkzee is someone who…”
“None,” Amorim interrupted. “None of them.”
The reporter asked, “Would you expect that from any of them?”
“No. I don’t expect them to come to me and ask for anything,” he insisted.
The embargo portion of the press will be released at 10:30 PM on Saturday and is available in full here.
Featured image Warren Little via Getty Images
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