Manchester United

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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Manchester United's young players will remain in training for the next fortnight and could be drafted into Ruben Amorim's squad for the post-season trip to Asia up to the moment the plane leaves on 25 May.

United are committed to having a strong squad with them for matches in Malaysia and Hong Kong.

Club officials have confirmed, injury-permitting , even United's international players are expected to be with them despite the fact some of them have key international matches four days after returning to Manchester, with the South American contingent having World Cup qualifiers on 5 June.

However, some withdrawals are inevitable, which could offer an opportunity to players from United's Under-21 and Under-18 squads.

"Things can change with the post-season tour right up to the very last minute by nature of injuries or internationals," said Travis Binnion, United's head of player development and coaching. "That won't be completely set until the lads get on the plane.

"There is nearly two weeks until the tour. There is definitely stuff to go after and individuals have to be ready for the opportunities and take the ones that avail themselves."

Defenders Harry Amass and Tyler Fredricson, plus striker Chido Obi, have all featured regularly in Amorim's recent senior squads.

Jaydan Kamason and Bendito Mantato were both on the bench for the Europa League semi-final against Athletic Bilbao, when clubs are allowed to name 12 substitutes.

On the latest episode of BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, the panel discusses the upcoming Europa League final between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United.

Both clubs are in the bottom half of the Premier League table, with victory in the final their only route into European competition next season.

"There is so much fear running through both managers, in terms of if anything happens to key players," former Premier League striker Chris Sutton said.

"Tottenham don't have momentum, Manchester United don't have momentum. This could be one of the worst Europa League finals ever, in terms of two teams going into it who have both been utterly useless.

"For two enormous Premier League clubs, the extremes of this game - it is going to be an absolute catastrophe for the losing manager."

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

Atletico Madrid are set to hold talks with Manchester United over a deal for Brazil winger Antony, who is on loan at Real Betis, with Juventus and Villarreal also keen on the 25-year-old. (Football Espana), external

Manchester United's hierarchy have no immediate plans to replace Ruben Amorim as manager. (Talksport), external

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

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Alex Turk
Fan writer

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"We as a club, we need to understand in this moment we have a big responsibility. We have to prepare a squad for different competitions."

Ruben Amorim, there, after Manchester United tasted their 16th Premier League defeat of the season at Brentford on 4 May.

It is that same quote that was tormenting me as I moped away from Old Trafford on Sunday.

United, now 16th, had just suffered loss No. 17, and for the first time since his arrival, the walls of my hope-fuelled strong support of Amorim trembled.

Not because of the result. United's shambolic Premier League campaign lost any importance weeks ago.

But I'd just watched Leny Yoro, arguably Amorim's best defender and a surefire Europa League final starter, limp down the tunnel.

A week after Amorim acknowledged he has a responsibility to prioritise the one competition that can save United's season, his team selection was baffling.

In hindsight, it's easy to say starting Noussair Mazraoui, Yoro, Bruno Fernandes and Rasmus Hojlund from the off again was the wrong call. And Amorim isn't to blame for a player's injury.

But with what's at stake in eight days' time in Bilbao, it was a ridiculous risk to take and perhaps exposed inexperience masked by his early success in Portugal.

United weren't even playing for pride. Where's the pride in finishing 13th instead of 16th… or lower?

Friday's trip to Chelsea was the moment to top up minutes to maintain sharpness in a competitive setting, not three days after an emotionally-charged semi-final.

Yoro's condition is unknown, but it's a short turnover. Amorim's selection exuded desperation for a result that would've meant very little.

A repeat of similar errors next season, combined with no improvement in results, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe's ruthless regime could oversee a short turnover of their own.

Find more from Alex Turk at Turk Talks FC, external

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We asked for your views on whether Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim should be given time irrespective of what happens in the Europa League final.

Here are some of your comments:

Steve: A trophy win of any kind will never make up for this disastrous season. The culture and responsibility within the playing staff has to change. The only way of ensuring that, is to keep hold of Amorim and see out the changes that are required to keep the sinking ship afloat. Long term pain I'm afraid, but without it we're sunk.

James: We have changed managers too many times, hoping for a quick fix. Amorim (and the team behind him now) need to make fundamental changes and the fans have to stay behind them as they build around a new vision. Constant changing won't fix anything. The sad truth is that too many of the players are just not good enough, and Amorim inherited that situation.

Dave: Amorim must be backed in the summer. He's stuck to his guns and identified the weaknesses - not just in skill, but also mentality. He's gone halfway to getting rid of players that aren't good enough or that have poor attitudes - Rashford, Antony, Sancho - and the board needs to make sure they are gone by pre-season. Winning the Europa League will paper over the cracks, sure, but the extra revenue could let us do in one transfer window what could take two or three windows without Europe. We've heard from ownership how they've built a best-in-class leadership level, it's now up to them to show they're good enough by getting Amorim what he needs.

However, not all comments were in favour of Amorim staying as the United boss. Here are some of them:

Derek: If Amorim continues to play five defenders who rarely offer any lasting support to the midfield or to the front players, United will continue to invite the opposition to score and create too few chances. A repeat performance against Spurs will likely seal the deal on his exit.

Mark: I think he should go immediately after the final and take his staff with him. We aren't going to beat Spurs as they know how to play against us having beaten us three times this season. Our league form has dipped severely under Amorim, he's clearly not the man for the job.

Farid: A season to forget. Amorim have himself to blame for these poor results. He decided he didn't need Rashford and Antony when the team didn't have any other attacking players. Then he stuck to his 3-4-2-1 formation knowing his team are going to lose the game. He is happy to lose games, and happy to make his players scapegoats so he can get the players he wants. I don't have faith he will change things around next season. I'd say get De Zerbi from Marseille.

Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy was critical of Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim's comments after the loss to West Ham on Sunday.

Murphy stated that players would be helped if the manager displayed a positive front rather than being negative.

"I am not a big fan of a manager continuously and consistently talking negatively about how bad things are," Murphy said on Match of the Day 2. "I'd like to hear a bit more solution-based answers, a bit more positivity, and thinking forward.

"I am not talking unrealistically, but they've got a final to look forward to and they've potentially got a place in next season's Champions League. He's hopefully got a summer of a lot of activity in the window to bring in some of his own players and start moulding his own team.

"I always felt that if the leader of a club is putting on a nice positive front and trying to be forthright and look forward, then it helped the players, rather than constant negativity."

Watch Sunday's Match of the Day here

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You would not be blamed for double-checking the league table when learning Manchester United are fifth bottom of the Premier League.

But it is the reality.

Sunday's defeat by West Ham was perhaps not a huge surprise given United will have one eye on the Europa League final.

However, Ruben Amorim's side have been historically bad in the league this season, a fact that has not got unnoticed by the Telegraph's Luke Edwards.

"This is probably the worst Manchester United side that I can remember," he told BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast. "Yet they still have the chance of winning a major trophy.

"That would then be three trophies in three years, so even when they are rubbish they still have an uncanny knack of being able to win silverware.

"The Europa League final is absolutely fascinating because it will rescue one club and it buries the loser."

Listen to the Football Daily podcast on BBC Sounds

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The league table does not lie and with just two Premier League games left to play this season, Manchester United are 16th, having endured a record-breaking season for all the wrong reasons.

Enduring their joint-most home losses in a single league campaign for more than 60 years, 17 league defeats - their most in since 1973-74 - and winless in seven matches are just a few recent examples that sum up this campaign.

But would winning the Europa League be enough to keep Ruben Amorim as manager?

He has conceded he should step aside if they take their poor league form from the end of this season into the next campaign, but what do you want?

Would a trophy make up for this dismal league campaign?

Should Amorim be given time regardless?

Or would you understand him deciding to walk?

Have your say

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We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Man Utd and West Ham.

Here are some of your comments:

Man Utd fans

Danyal: I completely understand that we won two European games with an aggregate score of six plus, and beat teams with aggression. But seriously, how can these players have such a drop from the Europa League? Regardless of being in the Europa League final, to play like that in the league is embarrassing - especially at home. If we win the Europa League, I could forget some part of the season we have had in the league. But for a club of United's stature, it is very poor. However, Ruben Amorim knows this and in his post-match interview he was clear. So there's still good signs!

Debbie: I would rather be 16th in the league and be in a final of a major competition than just fighting for pointless points in the league. We have nothing to play for and they were all worried about getting injured today. Roll on the end of the Premier League and let's win the Europa League!

Keith: This Manchester United side is so poor, but why do they seem to lack the intensity in Premier League games. They get out-fought and out-run. Pass completion is abysmal, as is their decision-making. Forgetting the obvious lack of quality in the squad, they are so weak mentally. How can you not get gee yourself up for a home game? I cannot wait for this season to be over, so the clear-out and rebuild can start properly.

West Ham fans

Tom: A good performance and hopefully will mean we can end this season on a bit of a high. Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been the signing of the season in my eyes, another emphatic performance today - definitely my Hammer of the Year!

Richard: Excellent game of football, both teams playing some good stuff but West Ham were superior in both attack and defence. It was the best game West Ham have played this season!

William: A better performance, although, not much opposition. A bit late in the season, but it was nice to see some fight within the team. Time will tell if Graham Potter is right for the club.

Saad: With our best players available, we beat the second XI of a team that absent-mindedly interrupted its focused preparations for a European final to have a bit of a light warm-up kickabout with us in a meaningless fixture. How does this mean we have turned a corner? I mean, well done lads and it is better than losing from two-nil up in the final 60 seconds of a match. But breaking out the champagne?

Highlights and analysis from Sunday's five Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Southampton 0-0 Man City

• Bournemouth 0-1 Aston Villa

• Manchester United 0-2 West Ham

• Nottingham Forest 2-2 Leicester

• Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal

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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim to BBC Match of the Day after the 2-0 defeat against West Ham: "I think it's quite similar to some games that we've had, especially at the end of this season. We have more chances than the opponent and then we suffer two goals that we can avoid. There's a lack of urgency when we're defending our box. There's a lack of urgency when we are near the box.

"We need to be more aggressive and we need to feel that it is the end of the world when we are not winning a game. Especially when we are not winning.

"So it's a big problem that we have here at the club. It's a decisive moment in the history of the club. We need to address that.

"It's a big problem because it's mentally. We are not scared of losing a game as Manchester United. We don't have that fear anymore and that is the most dangerous thing that a big club can have.

"I think it's a concern. It's not the players fault. It's my fault, I'm responsible. If we cannot change that really fast we should give our place to different people.

"We need to perform in a better way. Of course it's not the best thing we are changing all the time. A lot of players are tired, we have to manage that. That is also a concern. We should be prepared to play in the middle of the week.

"We need to change things. Only we can change things. We are missing that feeling of urgency and it's something which is hard to explain.

"Everybody is focused on the final. The final is not the biggest thing in our football club. We need to change a lot of things. If we don't change the way we play and perform and feel this urgency of winning every game, we should not play in the Champions League. We should just stay in the Premier League and learn how to be competitive one week at a time.

"The biggest focus on our football club is to change a lot of things. It's not just the final."

On Leny Yoro's injury: "We hope it's nothing serious. We will assess the player but I think it is a small thing.

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Manchester United are winless in seven Premier League games (D2 L5), their joint-longest ever run in the competition, also going seven without victory from September to November 1992.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Man Utd's performance

What did you make of West Ham's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

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Five matches make up Sunday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Newcastle v Chelsea (12:00)

• Manchester United v West Ham - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Nottingham Forest v Leicester City - BBC Radio 5 Live

• Tottenham v Crystal Palace - live on the BBC Sport website

• Liverpool v Arsenal (16:30) - BBC Radio 5 Live

All kick-off times 14:15 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

I am not sure who would want to watch this game? Manchester United's second string versus such a poor West Ham side with nothing to play for is not exactly essential viewing, is it?

The Europa League final is going to be Ruben Amorim's focus for the rest of the season and Brentford made the most of that when they beat a weakened United team last weekend.

I am not sure the Hammers are as dynamic as Brentford in attack, however, so they may not be capable of doing the same thing.

A lot depends on the United team selection, though. It is hard enough making predictions anyway, but its even harder when there could be mass changes, and you don't know whether it is the United first team who are going to play, or be more like the youth team.

That makes this more of a guess, when I am used to applying science to my predictions, but I wish I had gone for West Ham to draw with Tottenham last week, and I am not going to make the same mistake this time.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Speaking on The Football News Show, former Premier League midfielder Michael Brown says he would not start Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund in the Europa League final.

Watch The Football News Show on BBC iPlayer