Ruben Amorim has suggested that one of his Manchester United players will start against Newcastle despite facing Lyon several days later in the Europa League.
Manchester United drew 2-2 against Lyon in the first-leg of their Europa League quarter-final clash in France on Thursday night.
Ruben Amorim’s side would have felt like they deserved to come away from the game with a victory after Bruno Fernandes set up Joshua Zirkzee for a goal in the 88th minute of the clash.
However, André Onana’s errors in net cost the team two goals and the tie is level heading into the second-leg at Old Trafford.
Before that game, which is hugely important for the club, United must turn their attention to Newcastle in their away Premier League clash on Sunday afternoon.
Amorim suggests perfect Fernandes will start vs Newcastle
United are expected to have a tough game against the Magpies on the weekend and Amorim was asked before the game whether he can rotate heavily like Jose Mourinho did in the lead up to the 2017 Europa League winning campaign.
However, the Portuguese boss does not have a deep squad and many players are managing their minutes after coming back from injury.
Club captain Fernandes is one of the few players who haven’t been out of the team. In fact, he has started every game under Amorim but one – the home defeat against Newcastle due to suspension. The United boss has described him as the “perfect” captain.
Amorim was questioned whether the midfielder could be taken out of the weekend’s game to ensure he is as fresh as possible for the second-leg tie against Lyon.
But the United boss explained that Fernandes is the type of player who can play every match and is building some impressive form in that way, suggesting he will start again on Sunday.
“We’ll make this evaluation with all the staff, with all the data that we have,” he began.
“And then, because we know already the players, we will try to protect that ones that it will be hard [for them] to make a lot of games.
“But Bruno Fernandes is playing all the time and is playing better all the time, sometimes this kind of player has to play in every match, but we will address that in this day that we have to prepare.”
Fernandes doesn’t need United rest
Despite the suggestion that some players should be rested for the Lyon clash, Amorim seems unlikley to make many of those changes.
If anything, the changes on Sunday will likely be due to form. Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Højlund could come out of the team while a change in goal could also occur.
But the United boss is also correct in his assessment that Fernandes doesn’t really need that rest. In the form that he’s in at the moment, you just need to let him keep playing.
Perhaps this is Fernandes’ best moment in United on a personal level despite the struggles of the team. We’re seeing him conduct games in a deeper role while also coming up with the magic moments up front.
With 34 goal contributions this season – and counting – the Portuguese captain will not want to come out for any game. And his incredible fitness history suggests he doesn’t really need to either.
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