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Man United Don’t Have Big Enough Squad to Rotate, Says Amorim

Manchester United's head coach Ruben Amorim gestures during the Europa League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Lyon and Manchester United at Groupama stadium in Decines, outside Lyon, France, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP)
Manchester United's head coach Ruben Amorim gestures during the Europa League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Lyon and Manchester United at Groupama stadium in Decines, outside Lyon, France, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP)
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Man United Don’t Have Big Enough Squad to Rotate, Says Amorim

Manchester United's head coach Ruben Amorim gestures during the Europa League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Lyon and Manchester United at Groupama stadium in Decines, outside Lyon, France, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP)
Manchester United's head coach Ruben Amorim gestures during the Europa League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Lyon and Manchester United at Groupama stadium in Decines, outside Lyon, France, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP)

The Premier League may have little left to offer Manchester United this season, while they are still involved in Europe, but they do not have a big enough squad to make wholesale changes, manager Ruben Amorim said on Friday.

United's Europa League quarter-final tie is still very much in the balance after Thursday's first leg 2-2 draw away to Olympique Lyonnais, but they are 13th in the league standings ahead of Sunday's game at Newcastle United.

In 2017, Jose Mourinho went for heavy rotation in the Premier League when United went on to win the Europa League, and Amorim was asked if he planned on doing the same.

"We don't have a team that is really big to do that and then we have some players that I know cannot make 90 minutes," Amorim told reporters.

"In this moment, we still have to be careful so we will try to address all these subjects in the game against Newcastle but we have a great responsibility when we play any game.

"Sometimes, winning games is the best way of preparing the next one. I'm going to be careful with some players but we need to be competitive and when you are playing for Manchester United you cannot go into the game thinking about the next one."

Captain Bruno Fernandes has played every minute of the last 20 games for United, and could be one player that Amorim decides to rest at Newcastle.

"We will make this evaluation with all the data that we have," Amorim said.

"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."

In December's reverse fixture with Newcastle, forward Joshua Zirkzee was taken off after 33 minutes of the 2-0 loss to a chorus of boos from the United supporters.

Since then, the Dutch 23-year-old converted the winning penalty in an FA Cup shootout against Arsenal, and scored in the draw with Lyon as well as netting in the previous round against Real Sociedad, and Amorim believes the fans have played a part.

"He's doing a great job but also a very important thing was the way the fans reacted after that incident," Amorim said.

"If Josh is not playing, every time he gets on the pitch or just warming up our fans sing the Josh song so that is massive for the player."

United are on 38 points, 15 off fifth-placed Newcastle who have played a game less.

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Case Closed but Doping Still in Focus as Sinner Nears End of Ban

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 26, 2025 Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates winning the final against Germany's Alexander Zverev REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 26, 2025 Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates winning the final against Germany's Alexander Zverev REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo
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Case Closed but Doping Still in Focus as Sinner Nears End of Ban

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 26, 2025 Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates winning the final against Germany's Alexander Zverev REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 26, 2025 Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates winning the final against Germany's Alexander Zverev REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo

As Jannik Sinner nears the end of a three-month doping ban that shook the tennis world, players are flocking to anti-doping authorities seeking advice on how to avoid positive tests due to contamination.
The Italian agreed a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency in February and began an immediate three-month suspension after authorities accepted that the anabolic agent clostebol had entered his system via massages from his physiotherapist.
His case and that of Iga Swiatek left many players concerned about inadvertently being caught up in the doping net, and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said it will step up efforts to help them safely navigate the path ahead.
"We have seen an increase of players asking for advice and assistance since the high-profile cases, and we are working on ways to make that easier," the ITIA told Reuters.
"There are lots of resources that are available to assist with checking supplements and medications. If players, coaches and medical staff have questions, they can contact us.
"We are not trying to trip people up, our role is to protect the sport and maintain a level playing field."
While Sinner's case has led to heightened vigilance within the tennis fraternity, some players remain unhappy with how it was handled in the belief that the 23-year-old received favorable treatment.
Novak Djokovic expressed frustration earlier this year at being "kept in the dark" about the case, while the outspoken Nick Kyrgios said that it was "disgusting" for the sport.
American great Serena Williams reignited the debate ahead of Sinner's return in Rome next week, saying she would have received a 20-year ban and had her Grand Slam titles taken away had she tested positive in a similar manner.
The ITIA has remained firm that all its cases are dealt with based on facts and evidence and not a player's name, nationality or ranking.
BUILD MOMENTUM
Apart from his enforced period of idleness, Sinner has largely been unaffected by the uproar, winning the US Open last year before successfully defending his Australian Open title in January.
In Rome, the world number one will aim to leave the doping saga behind him and build momentum for the French Open in late May.
He is all but assured of remaining at the top of the world rankings until Roland Garros after Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz failed to exploit his absence during the claycourt swing, but he does not expect a smooth road on his return.
"It certainly won't be easy for me. The first games will be really difficult," Sinner said.
"Hopefully I'll be able to get back into the rhythm and then we'll see how it goes."
Spanish great Rafa Nadal believes Sinner should now be allowed to focus on his tennis, while acknowledging the case had not been positive for the sport.
"In the end, if I'm not mistaken, he came out of the ruling as innocent," Nadal told Britain's Daily Telegraph.
"But these things happen sometimes, accidents happen, and that's how I see this because I believe in Jannik. I'm convinced from what I know of Jannik that he never tried to cheat or get an advantage over the rest.
"I'm sure that Jannik is an innocent and moral person ... I believe in the ruling. Jannik has accepted these three months of sanction and so: case closed."