Manchester United

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim on the importance of qualifying for the Champions League:

"I think it is more about the budget. That is important when you are planning for the next season, Champions League can change everything.

"But you can see it both ways. Champions League it is tough to play against top teams on Wednesday and then at the weekend in the Premier League. If we don't have Champions League, we have more time to build the team."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire was also asked what it means to a player at the club to finish the season with a trophy: "It is so important. There is no doubt about it that if we do win the Europa League it is still going to be a disappointing season for us as players but winning that would be a big bonus.

"Playing for this club demands trophies and winning the Europa League would be a special one. It would give us access to the Champions League next season, something we obviously cannot gain through the Premier League because our results haven't been good enough."

Manchester United

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim on the club's goalkeeper situation: "As a coach and former player first of all I try to do things that can help a player in this situation.

"We speak about managing players physically but we also have to manage them also mentally.

"We had one weekend where I felt it was better for Andre Onana not to play and a good thing for Altay [Bayindir] to play."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United

Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire is also speaking before the club take on Lyon in the Europa League tomorrow night. He was asked what he thought about the Europa League being United's only hope of a trophy: "It's been a disappointing season. There is no doubt about it. From the start of the season we have been far too inconsistent.

"I think the performances have picked up of late. However, I still think there are key aspects in the game where us players have got to take more responsibility and have to change them in our favour. There have been a lot of games that have been 50/50 and we have ended up on the bad end of a result. That is something we need to work on as a team, as a group of players.

"Tomorrow night is an important night for us in the competition. A big game at Old Trafford, European night and one we are looking forward to."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim on Joshua Zirkzee's injury: "Joshua [Zirkzee] is out for the season. He will not play more this season, let's prepare him for the next one. It is tough for him especially in this moment. He is improving in all aspects and it is hard for any player to stop."

On whether Andre Onana will start in goal, Amorim replied: "Onana, he will play tomorrow."

On the rest of his team news: "Matthijs [de Ligt] is going to return still this season. Ayden [Heaven] is out for this game with a small issue in training after contact with a team mate. Jonny Evans returned to training but is not available for this game.

"This month I think [Amad Diallo] is not ready but we hope to have him still this season."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United

Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana will start Thursday's second leg against Lyon in the quarter-finals of the Europa League, United head coach Ruben Amorim has just confirmed.

Full quotes to follow.

Manchester United

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has confirmed that striker Joshua Zirkzee will miss the rest of the season through injury.

Full quotes to follow.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim and centre-back Harry Maguire are speaking to the media this afternoon.

You can watch along to both of those news conferences live by clicking up at the top of this page.

They have just started speaking to the media.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

Image source, Reuters

Experienced Swiss referee Sandro Scharer has been appointed to take charge of Manchester United's crucial Europa League quarter-final second leg with Lyon on Thursday.

Scharer was in charge of Inter Milan's Champions League victory over Bayern Munich in Germany last week.

He was also the referee for the Uefa Super Cup final this season and was part of the officiating team at last summer's European Championship.

The Europa League is Lyon's last chance at silverware this season but they have had a good league season.

They are currently fourth and are only two points behind second Monaco. PSG, who have already won Ligue 1, are miles clear at the top of the table by 21 points.

Here's how Lyon's last few games have gone and they are slightly more stable than United.

Lyon's last five games:

Lyon 4-2 Le Havre, Ligue 1

Strasbourg 4-2 Lyon, Ligue 1

Lyon 2-1 Lille, Ligue 1

Lyon 2-2 Man Utd, Europa League

Auxerre 1-3 Lyon

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United have not been consistent this season but the Europa League presents their final chance of silverware.

They were knocked out of the League Cup by Tottenham in December, dumped out of the FA Cup by Fulham in March and are currently 14th in the Premier League.

Their recent games also highlight how unpredictable the team have been this season.

Manchester United's last five games:

Leicester City 0-3 Manchester Utd, Premier League

Nottingham Forest 1-0 Manchester United, Premier League

Manchester United 0-0 Manchester City, Premier League

Lyon 2-2 Manchester United, Europa League

Newcastle 4-1 Manchester United, Premier League

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

Image source, BBC Sport

Plenty of cameras here to capture Ruben Amorim and Harry Maguire as they speak to the media at 13:30 BST.

There are rarely more than one or two for 'normal' Premier League press conferences but the ones for European matches are run by UEFA and different rules apply around who is allowed to come in.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United have struggled in front of goal this season but their captain Bruno Fernandes has found the net 16 times across all competitions this season and is the club's top scorer.

He has eight Premier League goals, as well as two in the EFL Cup, two in the FA Cup four in the Europa League.

Of course the season isn't over yet but in comparison to recent seasons and legendary players it is a big drop off from what fans were used to.

Last season Rasmus Hojlund finished top scorer with 16, but in the season before that Marcus Rashford finished top with 30.

To cherry pick from other seasons Zlatan Ibrahimovic finished top in the 2016-17 season with 28 and Robin van Persie claimed top spot in the 2012-13 season with 30. The player with the most goals across all competitions in the Premier League era came back in the 20002/03 campaign when Ruud van Nistelrooy scored 44.

Manchester United's top scorers in all competitions for the 2024-25 season:

Bruno Fernandes - 16

Alejandro Garnacho - 9

Rasmus Hojlund - 8

Amad Diallo, Joshua Zirkzee and Marcus Rashford - 7

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

It won't happen tomorrow because his schedule doesn't allow it but new Masters champion Rory McIlroy has been invited to show his trophy off at Old Trafford by Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim.

McIlroy is a United fan and went to Old Trafford with the Open trophy when he won it in 2014.

"Congratulations for The Masters and I want to invite you to Old Trafford to show your trophy," Amorim said on Man Utd's media channels.

"You achieved something a lot of people thought would be impossible and we want that feeling in our stadium.

"I hope to see you soon at Old Trafford and to meet you."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United's goalkeepers have been in the spotlight over the last few weeks with Andre Onana dropped for the club's Premier League game against Newcastle.

He was left out after a disappointing performance in the fiirst leg against Lyon in the Europa League.

United manager Ruben Amorim turned to Aitay Bayindir but his performance in the club's 4-1 loss to the Magpies has been criticised too.

The other goalkeeper warming the bench for United is Tom Heaton. However, he has not made a senior appearance in 26 months.

Meanwhile, the goalkeeper who left last summer - David de Gea - continues to have good performances for new club Fiorentina.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

Before each press conference, the media officer at each club tends to speak to their manager to talk through the issues they are likely to be asked about.

It is to prep them for any delicate subjects that may come their way and, in theory, avoid any traps.

I suspect Ruben Amorim will be able to work out the main topic of conversation himself when he speaks to the press at Carrington at 1330.

Who is going to play in goal?

Andre Onana was left out of Amorim's squad for Sunday's defeat at Newcastle to 'disconnect' after his errors in the first leg.

Amorim does not have that luxury tomorrow. Whether he chooses Onana or Altay Bayindir to start in goal, the game is too important for the goalkeeper who misses out not to be on the bench.

Image source, Getty Images

Simon Stone
BBC Sport's chief football news reporter

We know about Manchester United's goalkeeping situation but Ruben Amorim also has striking issues to worry about.

Joshua Zirkzee will miss the game with a hamstring injury and youngster Chido Obi has not been registered.

That means Rasmus Hojlund is almost certain to start - but it may be Amorim has to delve further into United's youth ranks to bolster his attack.

He did use Harry Maguire as a centre forward in the latter stages of the defeat at Nottingham Forest earlier this month so maybe that is an option.

Image source, Getty Images

Good afternoon! Here's what you might have missed if you are just joining us. We are discussing Manchester United's form this season before their Europa League clash with Lyon tomorrow:

• Is Manchester United's goalkeeper conundrum causing problems? Take a watch here
• Who was absent from Manchester United's training?
• A season without Europe could actually help Manchester United out

Coming up:

• At 13:30 BST we will hear from Ruben Amorim before Thursday's Europa League match against Lyon
• Who have been Manchester United's top scorers this year?
• How this season has been confirmed the worst in Man Utd's Premier League history

We'd love to hear your say. Get in touch in the usual ways:

• #bbcfootball on X
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• Text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)