Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim on their fitness crisis and not having the same amount of time Mikel Arteta has had to build Arsenal
Reale Arena, San Sebastian, Spain
Reale Arena, San Sebastian, Spain
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00:00We now take some questions under embargo for a Premier League game against Arsenal on Sunday.
00:19These are embargoed until Friday at 1.30pm.
00:24Ruben, good catch there. With team news, any chance Harry or Manuel can make Sunday do you think for Arsenal?
00:32I don't know. We need to survive Sunday. The team was so tired in the last 20 minutes.
00:40We have to prepare Sunday and then think about this important game for our season on Thursday.
00:45But in this moment I don't know.
00:48You mentioned Rasmus for example. Chido of course couldn't play in this game.
00:52Is he someone you could think about potentially starting on Sunday against Arsenal?
00:56Everybody can start. If they are training tomorrow, if they play today they can be ready.
01:03Chido is on the list so he can play.
01:06You mentioned the team being a bit anxious to score goals.
01:11What can you do in the time when you are training to ease that anxiousness?
01:16What can you do on and off the pitch to solve that?
01:18You just have to sell them the idea, these movements that we did today.
01:23We have to work on and to show the image.
01:26But in the end they have to score. If they score one, it's going to be so much easier.
01:31So he needs to score the first one.
01:36Are you expecting to have anyone back available for this match?
01:40I don't know. I don't think so. So we'll see.
01:43Have you ever had to deal with such issues in your career?
01:47You've obviously had to play a second half against Ipswich with 10 men.
01:50It wasn't 120 minutes. You've had to come here.
01:52Have you ever had to experience anything like this?
01:54Guys, I'll be ready for everything after this season. So it's a good thing.
02:00I'm not sure if you're aware Ruben, there's quite a big protest planned around the game on Sunday.
02:06Obviously you've had to deal with quite a lot of turmoil already at the club.
02:09Do the things that happen outside the club like a protest before a big game against Arsenal,
02:13does it make your job more difficult do you think?
02:15No, I think for everybody in our club it's a really tough moment.
02:20It's everything at the same time.
02:23The only thing I can do and our players can do is perform well and win.
02:29People have the right to protest. I think it's a good thing to do that.
02:34It's part of our club. Everybody has a voice.
02:38But our job and my job is just to improve the team.
02:42Give them something in this moment because they deserve it and they are amazing.
02:47So we'll see on Sunday, on Thursday.
03:00Is this the worst fixture you could have at this moment in time?
03:05Is it just about getting through it?
03:07Yeah, any fixture. In the Premier League every game is really important.
03:11In our moment we need to win. It's always a problem when we don't win.
03:16So we have to focus on everything at the same time.
03:19I think the biggest problem is not to have all the players.
03:23Because in the beginning people talk about our rotation, especially in Europe.
03:30We are changing all the time. It's because of this, because it's really hard.
03:34And the Europa League is so much harder in my opinion than the Champions League.
03:39Not the games but the recovery to play in the Premier League on the weekend.
03:45So we have to deal with that.
03:46And the problem is you've got such a big game on Thursday.
03:50You don't want to drain all the players.
03:54One thing at a time. We'll think about Sunday and then we'll see.
04:00Sorry, Ruben. I think we asked you about two weeks ago about Mason Mount and Luke Shaw.
04:06Do you think we'll see them again this season?
04:09And are there any other players apart from Lissandro and Ahmad who you think we won't see again this season?
04:15No, no. I think it's just Ahmad.
04:17Even Ahmad we'll see at the end of the last month.
04:23I don't want to say nothing but I have the hope to have Ahmad before. We'll see.
04:29Lissandro is out. Kobe can return.
04:33Kobe and the rest is Maguire. We have to be careful.
04:39Manu will return. I think Luke Shaw and Mason Mount can return also. We'll see.
04:46So a few weeks to the final. Hopefully Ahmad will possibly develop.
04:49Let's talk about Sunday. We'll see.
04:51But they definitely are going to return, especially Mason Mount.
04:59Is there any way at all you can rotate and freshen up for Sunday?
05:04Because obviously Thursday is such a huge game. It takes priority over Sunday.
05:09Yeah, but when you are in this kind of club you cannot think like that with a small squad in this moment.
05:18So we are trying to see all the players that are fresh and are not in danger of getting injured.
05:24Even that we have to risk a little bit but we have to be competitive on Sunday.
05:33Just on Mikel Arteta. He dealt with some big players at Arsenal.
05:38Had to get them out of the club and make some big decisions and he's made Arsenal a big force again.
05:43Do you see some similarities with what you've got with Manchester United and the way you're having to go about the job?
05:49I don't feel that. Again, I will not have the time that Arteta had. I feel that. It's a different club.
05:59So we just need to survive the players on Sunday and me during these games.
06:06I think it's a different club. I think in that aspect the way Arteta dealt with that is an inspiration for everybody.
06:14I will not have the time like Arteta had.