No European games a positive for Man Utd – Amorim

Ruben Amorim, the head coach of Manchester United, thinks his side is doing better if they don’t have a distraction campaign for the season.

United are only the second time ever since English clubs returned to Uefa competition following a five-year suspension in 1990 due to their 15th-placed Premier League finish and their Europa League final defeat by Tottenham.

With Wednesday’s tie at League Two Grimsby their first meeting since 1948, they must begin their Carabao Cup campaign one round earlier than usual.

Amorim believes that in comparison to the free time he and his players will get between games as the season progresses, this is a minor issue.

He claimed that “we were not interested in playing in the Premier League and Europe.”

“We need time to develop as a team.”

In 2014, United made its way to round two of the competition, which ended in agony with a 4-0 defeat at then-League MK Dons, who had Dele Alli, 18, in their side.

The goal is to replace the team that started Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Fulham as a result.

We need rotation to win every game because we have three games this week and quality players, Amorim said.

Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire, along with midfielders Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee, have been senior substitutes but have had few or none of their playing time so far this season.

Along with Tyler Fredricson and Ayden Heaven, goalkeeper Andre Onana is likely to face off in the competition.

The versatile Morocco defender’s trip to Blundell Park may come too soon for him because Wesair Mazraoui is yet to play due to an injury that kept him out of the pre-season.

Amorim remarked, “He is near.” We are just getting started on some drills with him to make sure there won’t be any more issues.

Rasmus Hojlund is not expected to join Napoli’s ongoing loan negotiations, which are continuing. The move, according to sources, is likely to occur sooner than the departures of Antony, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, and Tyrell Malacia, the four remaining members of Amorim’s “bomb squad.”

After losing to Arsenal on the opening weekend of the season, Manchester United have already collected one point from their first two Premier League games. Amorim needs to take the Carabao Cup seriously given that the winners will qualify for Europe, which the club has stated as its season goal.

A year of unaffected midweek European distractions offers a chance to reset. Anything more than that would cause a lot of financial strain.

“We need time to establish a foundation before moving forward,” Amorim said.