Win or bust in Europa League for Ruben Amorim s Man United

LONDON – Ruben Amorim’s hopes of salvaging Manchester United’s season hinge on winning the Europa League after their disastrous English Premier League campaign.

The Portuguese manager took over from the sacked Erik ten Hag in November, with United a miserable 13th in the table. Now they are 14th. That the former Sporting Lisbon boss is not under more intense pressure is largely due to a general appreciation of the scale of the task he faces at Old Trafford.

United, so dominant domestically under former manager Alex Ferguson, will finish the season with their lowest points tally in the Premier League era. But the Red Devils can still rescue their campaign with victory in the Europa League, which brings with it a place in next season’s Champions League.

Amorim admitted winning the title would be a huge shot in the arm for his struggling side.

“In this context, winning something like that is massive for us for our confidence – and then, to the future, to the next season,” the 40-year-old said.

“To play in the Champions League (makes the situation) completely different. The environment, the way we are going to face the summer, the budget for the summer – everything is connected with this competition.”

A return to Europe’s top club competition could indeed transform the future of United in the short term, boosting the coffers and making Old Trafford a more attractive destination for much-needed new recruits.

But the team face a tough task in the Europa League semi-final, first leg on May 1 against Athletic Bilbao, who have the added incentive of knowing the final will be held at their stadium.

“San Mames will roar. We want to keep this dream alive,” Bilbao, fourth in the Spanish La Liga, tweeted this week.

The winners of the tie will