Amorim on United’s fitness crisis and not having the same amount of time Mikel Arteta has had to build Arsenal (Full Presser)

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Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim on their fitness crisis and not having the same amount of time Mikel Arteta has had to build Arsenal  Reale Arena, San Sebastian, Spain

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00:00We now take some questions under embargo for a Premier League game against Arsenal on Sunday.

00:19These are embargoed until Friday at 1.30pm.

00:24Ruben, good catch there. With team news, any chance Harry or Manuel can make Sunday do you think for Arsenal?

00:32I don't know. We need to survive Sunday. The team was so tired in the last 20 minutes.

00:40We have to prepare Sunday and then think about this important game for our season on Thursday.

00:45But in this moment I don't know.

00:48You mentioned Rasmus for example. Chido of course couldn't play in this game.

00:52Is he someone you could think about potentially starting on Sunday against Arsenal?

00:56Everybody can start. If they are training tomorrow, if they play today they can be ready.

01:03Chido is on the list so he can play.

01:06You mentioned the team being a bit anxious to score goals.

01:11What can you do in the time when you are training to ease that anxiousness?

01:16What can you do on and off the pitch to solve that?

01:18You just have to sell them the idea, these movements that we did today.

01:23We have to work on and to show the image.

01:26But in the end they have to score. If they score one, it's going to be so much easier.

01:31So he needs to score the first one.

01:36Are you expecting to have anyone back available for this match?

01:40I don't know. I don't think so. So we'll see.

01:43Have you ever had to deal with such issues in your career?

01:47You've obviously had to play a second half against Ipswich with 10 men.

01:50It wasn't 120 minutes. You've had to come here.

01:52Have you ever had to experience anything like this?

01:54Guys, I'll be ready for everything after this season. So it's a good thing.

02:00I'm not sure if you're aware Ruben, there's quite a big protest planned around the game on Sunday.

02:06Obviously you've had to deal with quite a lot of turmoil already at the club.

02:09Do the things that happen outside the club like a protest before a big game against Arsenal,

02:13does it make your job more difficult do you think?

02:15No, I think for everybody in our club it's a really tough moment.

02:20It's everything at the same time.

02:23The only thing I can do and our players can do is perform well and win.

02:29People have the right to protest. I think it's a good thing to do that.

02:34It's part of our club. Everybody has a voice.

02:38But our job and my job is just to improve the team.

02:42Give them something in this moment because they deserve it and they are amazing.

02:47So we'll see on Sunday, on Thursday.

03:00Is this the worst fixture you could have at this moment in time?

03:05Is it just about getting through it?

03:07Yeah, any fixture. In the Premier League every game is really important.

03:11In our moment we need to win. It's always a problem when we don't win.

03:16So we have to focus on everything at the same time.

03:19I think the biggest problem is not to have all the players.

03:23Because in the beginning people talk about our rotation, especially in Europe.

03:30We are changing all the time. It's because of this, because it's really hard.

03:34And the Europa League is so much harder in my opinion than the Champions League.

03:39Not the games but the recovery to play in the Premier League on the weekend.

03:45So we have to deal with that.

03:46And the problem is you've got such a big game on Thursday.

03:50You don't want to drain all the players.

03:54One thing at a time. We'll think about Sunday and then we'll see.

04:00Sorry, Ruben. I think we asked you about two weeks ago about Mason Mount and Luke Shaw.

04:06Do you think we'll see them again this season?

04:09And are there any other players apart from Lissandro and Ahmad who you think we won't see again this season?

04:15No, no. I think it's just Ahmad.

04:17Even Ahmad we'll see at the end of the last month.

04:23I don't want to say nothing but I have the hope to have Ahmad before. We'll see.

04:29Lissandro is out. Kobe can return.

04:33Kobe and the rest is Maguire. We have to be careful.

04:39Manu will return. I think Luke Shaw and Mason Mount can return also. We'll see.

04:46So a few weeks to the final. Hopefully Ahmad will possibly develop.

04:49Let's talk about Sunday. We'll see.

04:51But they definitely are going to return, especially Mason Mount.

04:59Is there any way at all you can rotate and freshen up for Sunday?

05:04Because obviously Thursday is such a huge game. It takes priority over Sunday.

05:09Yeah, but when you are in this kind of club you cannot think like that with a small squad in this moment.

05:18So we are trying to see all the players that are fresh and are not in danger of getting injured.

05:24Even that we have to risk a little bit but we have to be competitive on Sunday.

05:33Just on Mikel Arteta. He dealt with some big players at Arsenal.

05:38Had to get them out of the club and make some big decisions and he's made Arsenal a big force again.

05:43Do you see some similarities with what you've got with Manchester United and the way you're having to go about the job?

05:49I don't feel that. Again, I will not have the time that Arteta had. I feel that. It's a different club.

05:59So we just need to survive the players on Sunday and me during these games.

06:06I think it's a different club. I think in that aspect the way Arteta dealt with that is an inspiration for everybody.

06:14I will not have the time like Arteta had.

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