‘Ruben Amorim on the hook if Man United collapse vs Athletic Club’
Manchester United are in an extremely strong position to reach the Europa League final but manager Ruben Amorim faces serious scrutiny if his side throw away their advantage.
United host Athletic Bilbao in the second leg of the semi-finals at Old Trafford on Thursday and will carry a 3-0 lead into the contest after a dominant performance at San Mames last week.
If they progress, the Red Devils are likely to face Tottenham in the final as the North London side take a 3-1 lead to Bodo/Glimt in Norway.
Both United and Spurs are having dismal domestic campaigns, sitting 15th and 16th in the Premier League respectively.
Football Insider exclusively revealed last month that despite their poor league position, Man United will give Amorim time to turn the club’s fortunes around.
‘Job is done’ for Man United
Man United threatened to run riot against Bilbao in the first leg, scoring three first-half goals against the Spanish side’s 10 men.
However, they failed to put the tie completely out of reach in the second half despite a man advantage.
Live on air, talkSPORT (8 May) pundit Simon Jordan has warned Amorim to expect heavy criticism if his side fail to progress, saying: “If they go into this game and they throw it away, he must be on the hook for the outcome.
“There’s not going to be Man United fans cheering his name, if at half time they’re 3-0 down to Athletic Bilbao.
“The job is already done.”
Europa League success vital for Amorim
It comes as no surprise that Amorim has completely disregarded United’s Premier League campaign in recent weeks, and focused all attention towards their European run.
Not only would a Europa League trophy lift spirits around Old Trafford, but it would also ensure they qualified for next season’s Champions League, something which United have no chance of doing through the Premier League.
| Position | Team | Games Played | Points |
| 14 | Everton | 35 | 39 |
| 15 | Man United | 35 | 39 |
| 16 | Tottenham | 35 | 38 |
| 17 | West Ham | 35 | 37 |
| 18 | Ipswich | 35 | 22 |
With rumours surrounding some Man United stars like Bruno Fernandes, the Red Devils have to be playing in the best competitions if they want to retain their top players.
Also, Amorim will be desperate to bring in some new talent in the summer transfer window, and having Champions League football can often be a big draw when trying to sign players.
It looks almost certain that we will see an all-English final, with both United and Spurs desperate for some success during what has been an awful domestic season for both.