Ruben Amorim Discusses Old Trafford Debut, Player Fitness, and Goalscorers Ahead of Europa League Match

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim addressed reporters in advance of Thursday’s Europa League fixture against Bodo/Glimt. Below are the main points from his press conference: When questioned about the availability of Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez for Thursday’s game, Amorim stated: “Not Harry. Lisandro is ready. I felt he’s had enough time so he is ready. Harry will be ready soon and on the pitch also.” Regarding the availability of fellow defender Lenny Yoro, Amorim commented: “He is available to train but we are working on his fitness, which is important. He is a young guy. We believe in him a lot and we are trying to prepare the best way.” Discussing his inaugural match at Old Trafford, Amorim remarked: “Everybody has said it will be a special time. Before the match it will be like a new sensation, but after the whistle it will be one more game and we want to win that match.” Amorim confirmed plans for squad rotation during Thursday’s fixture, explaining: “We have to do it, especially in this moment because we have a lot of games. We are in the beginning of something. They have to feel that they are part of the team.” Addressing Thursday’s opponents, he said: “I’m expecting a very good team, they can win the [Norwegian] league this week. They run a lot and that is a very good thing for us because we need to improve that. They have some special players on the wings and they can play in the pockets very well.” When questioned about potentially altering his team’s formation, Amorim responded: “We have to do it. When I talk about our structure, I believe we can play in different systems. Nowadays, every team changes their dynamic so we will adapt to that. Right now, we are starting with the beginning and after that we will change different things.” Regarding the team’s goalscoring challenges in recent years, he stated: “Of course there is a concern, but we have to improve as a team. But we have quality players who can score lots of goals. Rasmus [Hojlund] Joshua [Zirkzee] and Rashford will score more goals.” Concerning his efforts to help Marcus Rashford regain his top form, Amorim commented: “I will try to help him. It wasn’t the best position for him [against Ipswich], we will try to find the right solution for him. He has to be the first one to really want it.”