Manchester United

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Have your say on Manchester United's performance

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There are two matches involving Premier League clubs on Thursday and BBC Sport will bring you all the action.

• AZ Alkmaar v Tottenham

• FCSB v Lyon

• Fenerbache v Rangers

• Real Sociedad v Man Utd - Listen to live commentary on Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times: 17:45 GMT

• Ajax v Frankfurt

• Bodo/Glimt v Olympiakos

• Roma v Athletic Bilbao

• Viktoria Plzen v Lazio

Kick-off times: 20:00 GMT

Follow all of the action and reaction here

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Matthijs de Ligt says Manchester United are taking their Europa League campaign "step by step" and not looking too far ahead at potentially qualifying for next season's Champions League by winning the competition.

United finished third in the League Stage of the Europa League and were the only one of the 36 teams to go through their eight fixtures undefeated.

But, with United out of both domestic cups and 14th in the Premier League, winning the Europa League may be their best chance of qualifying for Europe next season.

"Thursday is another chance to show our worth in a European competition," said Netherlands international defender De Ligt, previewing the first leg of their last-16 tie against Real Sociedad (17:45 GMT).

"Until now we haven't lost a game so hopefully we can keep it that way and get a good result.

"If you win the tournament, you go into the Champions League [next season], but that is not our main goal at the moment. Our main goal is to win the game on Thursday and get a good result.

"We're watching it step by step, game after game.

"The Europa League is not a tournament where you can win it without effort. We know we have to fight and put everything on the line to win the game. That's our first concern. We'll be ready and hopefully we can get a good result."

Manchester United have looked at Burnley's 22-year-old English goalkeeper James Trafford and Espanyol's Spanish number one Joan Garcia, 23, as possible replacements for Cameroon international Andre Onana, 28. (Teamtalk), external

Manchester United and Brazil winger Antony, 25, has expressed a desire to stay at Real Betis when his loan spell at the La Liga club ends. (Canal Sur, via Mail), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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Phil Cartwright
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Europa League game against Real Sociedad (kick-off 17:45 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On Harry Maguire and Manuel Ugarte, who have not travelled because of "small" injuries: "We are being careful because at the moment we cannot afford to lose more players for a long time. We are taking care of them at Carrington and they cannot play this game because it would be a risk."

• Asked about the challenge of facing Sociedad, having taken a small squad to Spain: "We have a lot of experience and we are ready. The good thing about playing in the Premier League is we are ready for everything. It's a big challenge. We are going to face a good team who are very intense and have a lot of experience and international players."

• On the importance of winning the Europa League: "It's not the crucial thing for the future of the club, but I understand that it would make a massive difference in our season, especially because we are out of the cups and in a bad position in the league. It could change a lot of things, even the way they see the coach, so I know there is massive pressure."

• He continued: "Manchester United can call all of the best players, even without the Champions League in the future. We have to change a lot of things and we're trying to do that. There are more important things than winning cups at this moment, that is my feeling, but I understand that winning the Europa League can change everything for us in the next season."

• Amorim said he thinks of turning United around as a "long project" that will not be solved by one cup success: "I'm really confident on the big goal of this club. I'm trying to show the big picture to our supporters."

• On how the team can unlock the best from its strikers, who have struggled for goals recently: "There are things that are hard to explain. Before the last match, we had some games without opportunities and it's impossible for them to score, so it's a team thing. Sometimes it's luck. One thing is to create situations. We created [chances] in the last game, but in certain moments we need a little bit of luck to score one. Then when you score one, you take away the big pressure and score two or three in the next games."

Image source, Getty Images

Real Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacil says people calling his side favourites over Manchester United "don't know anything about football".

United travel to San Sebastian for the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday.

"For me, Manchester United are favourites to win the Europa League. We need to acknowledge who we are up against," said Alguacil, whose side are ninth in La Liga.

"It's true that in the Premier League they are not getting the results they want, but they are a very good team with an excellent manager."

Samuel Luckhurst, chief Manchester United writer for the Manchester Evening News, speaks to the latest episode of The Football News Show about the upcoming Europa League tie with Real Sociedad.

United are on course for their lowest league finish since the inception of the Premier League in 1992 and boss Ruben Amorim has intimated that there will be changes made to the squad in the summer.

"Whether these players have a long-term future or a short-term future at the club, they have got the chance to be involved in a victorious European campaign with Manchester United," Luckhurst said.

"If they're not [successful], they're going to be remembered as members of the worst United side since the team that was relegated in 1974."

Watch the Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof is a target for Portuguese club Benfica.

Lindelof spent five years with Benfica after joining them as a youth player in 2012. He joined United in a £31m deal in 2017.

In total, the Sweden skipper has made 270 appearances for Manchester United and scored four goals but now aged 30, his contract expires on 30 June and it is thought unlikely he will be offered an extension.

He made his 11th appearance of the season on Sunday when he came on as a substitute in the FA Cup fifth-round tie against Fulham, but missed a penalty in the shoot-out defeat at Old Trafford, and has only started 28 Premier League games since the start of the 2022-23 campaign.

Lindelof won three Portuguese league titles and three domestic cups during his initial time with Benfica, who want him to replace veteran Argentinian defender Nicolas Otamendi.

Borussia Dortmund are preparing for the departure of English winger Jamie Gittens, 20, with Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham all interested. (Sky Germany - in German), external

United and Sweden defender Victor Lindelof, 30, wants to leave the club this summer and return to former club Benfica. (Record - in Portuguese), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

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Professor Rob Wilson, a football finance expert, speaks to the BBC's latest episode of The Football News Show about the importance of progression to the latter stages of this season's Europa League for Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

If either club should win the competition, they would qualify for next season's Champions League.

Watch the Football News Show on BBC iPlayer

Manchester United fan and BBC Radio Manchester presenter Joe McGrath believes Ruben Amorim is to blame for Manchester United's exit from the FA Cup.

Speaking on The Devils' Advocate, he said: "I really do think we're out of the FA Cup because of Amorim. He's made his bed, and it's an uncomfortable bed to lie in.

"His formation at the minute doesn't provide us with hardly any good football. We've not scored a goal in the first half from open play for 17 games.

"We're not breaking through defences. We need set pieces and we need one-off moments of magic like Bruno Fernandes gives us.

"I see some of the players we have and I think we've actually got some talent. But this season is just a sacrifice now.

"As Man Utd fans, what do we do? What are we supporting this team for if the whole season is sacrificed?"

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Alex Turk
Fan writer

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Manchester United's FA Cup defence is over. Dreams of a third consecutive final ended with a whimper against Fulham on penalties in the latest Old Trafford defeat of Ruben Amorim's early reign.

But if there was any encouragement from the fifth-round exit, it was that this writer's reluctance over Chido Obi's readiness to start senior matches dissolved.

Rasmus Hojlund struggled to make any sort of impact again, as his goal drought extended to 18 games.

Amorim introduced Obi to turn the tie in United's favour, which in itself was a damning indicator of his confidence in Hojlund.

And in the 52 minutes he played, the 17-year-old had three big chances.

Should he have sent the hosts through to the quarter-finals? Probably. But, boy, was it refreshing to see a striker fashion opportunities for himself.

Debate service all you like, but that is what elite goalscorers do.

In comparison, Hojlund has had the same total of big chances in his past 22 league games.

Now, it is Bilbao or bust, and he has to step up.

The Basque city will host the Europa League final on 21 May, and that now represents United's final pathway to Champions League football next season. Real Sociedad await in the last 16.

Obi will not be playing a part though. United did not include him in their revised squad list last month.

The Red Devils had three slots for new eligible players in their 'A' list but only added January arrivals Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven. He cannot feature in the 'B' list having only joined from Arsenal last summer.

In hindsight, that could be a potentially costly blunder. The talented teen made his senior debut 10 days after the deadline.

However, despite his woes in domestic competition, Hojlund's goal record in Europe since joining United should offer a glimmer of hope.

Find more from Alex Turk at Stretford Paddock, external

Manchester United, Tottenham and Arsenal have expressed an interest in signing Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig, and the 21-year-old Slovenia striker has a release clause worth 80m euros (£66m) that can be activated this summer. (Sky Sport Germany, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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Rasmus Hojlund's valuation jumped up a huge amount in a very short space of time with moves from Copenhagen to Sturm Graz and then Atalanta.

Even though his goal record was not exceptional, comparisons were drawn at the time with fellow Scandinavian forward Erling Haaland due to the size, strength and speed of both players.

While United were convinced of his potential to develop into a top-class centre-forward, he has not fulfilled that and, although he has shown glimpses of his finishing power, his confidence now looks shattered.

He never looked like getting in a position to score against Fulham and is not the sort of forward that drops deeper and gets involved in the build-up play.

The Dane was also not helped by Alejandro Garnacho being named as a substitute given he seems to be the one player in the current squad that can stretch a game and provide some support.

Read more on Hojlund's struggles over here

The Devils' Advocate talks Manchester United's FA Cup exit to Fulham, Wayne Rooney's comments calling Ruben Amorim "naive" and how the rest of this season might now pan out.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes says silverware remains this season's focus so all of their efforts now have to turn to the Europa League.

The FA Cup holders were denied a place in the quarter-finals after losing to Fulham on penalties, so their European campaign is their only route to a trophy.

Real Sociedad are Thursday's opponents in the first leg of the last 16 in Spain.

"We look forward now to the rest of the season, obviously with the main focus on the next game in a competition where we want to go forward," said Fernandes. "It's one of our goals for this season to try to get a trophy.

"We know that we had many injuries in this period and we don't have as many players [as we would like].

"We've been playing almost always with the same players for long spells and it's been difficult, so we just now need to recover and focus ourselves to do the best we can, to get the best fresh legs to the next game.

"It's going to be a tough one. They are a Spanish team that plays brilliant football.

"Very, very good players up front, very [good] quality coming out from the back, so we need to be fresh to run again, because they will make us run and then when we have the ball we have to make them run too."

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on the FA Cup fifth round tie between Manchester United and Fulham.

Here are some of your comments:

Agim: This sums up our season. Not one player can hold their head up and say Manchester United have been unlucky. Our performances have been really poor this season. No structure, poor defence, no natural goalscorer. Alejandro Garnacho looks like a ghost, Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund are so poor. The new boy Chido Obi doesn't look the real deal for me. The pain continues for United fans.

John: Until Bruno Fernendes' goal, the lads were out for a Sunday stroll. They were walking around aimlessly, confused and waiting for the other guys to give them a kick. I expect nothing more.

Chris: Where is the progress Ruben Amorim is talking about? I can't see it. Fulham's bench had players that would have walked into United's starting XI. Disappointed doesn't even cover it.

Reeves: Terrible! Victor Lindelof and Zirkzee cost us the game!

Laura: I'm sorry to say it has become embarrassing to be a Manchester United fan. I've supported them all my life but it's just got to the point where I'm sure the fans are thinking: 'Do the players actually care?' If you wear a Manchester United kit, wear it with pride, play with passion and desire, and show us fans how much you want to win. This performance was just diabolical. Amorim needs to change the format, as it clearly doesn't work and it never would in the Premier League. The sooner he realises this the better.

Yasser: Amorim has to demonstrate something quickly, otherwise the pressure will begin to mount. Yes he has taken on a dysfunctional team and he hasn't had the ability to bring in some of his own players, but he has to find a way to produce results. I admire his desire to stand by his principles and system, but the squad isn't responding to it.