Amorim plays down pre-match 'misunderstanding'
Ruben Amorim cut a positive, focused figure in Wednesday's pre-match press conference at the Groupama Stadium, before arguably the biggest game of United's season, against Lyon.
Our head coach was quizzed on an array of issues, as ever, including the comments made by Andre Onana and former United midfielder Nemaja Matic in the build-up to the match.
He also discussed the return of Onana's fellow goalkeeper, Altay Bayindir, and explained why Lyon will pose a stiffer test to the team we bested in the last round, Real Sociedad.
Scroll down to read every word the boss said, including detailed thoughts on Kobbie Mainoo and why we have fared better in the Europa League than the Premier League during recent months...
Ruben and Diogo's press conference Video
Ruben and Diogo's press conference
PRESS CONFERENCE | Ready for the first leg? You will be after watching Ruben Amorim and Diogo Dalot's media briefing...
ONANA COMMENTS WERE MISINTERPRETED
"Tomorrow it will not matter [what was said pre-match]. I think if you see the full quotes of Andre Onana, it's quite different. The first sentence is Lyon is a very good team. I think sometimes the players and the coaches don't listen to the full quotes and sometimes it's a misunderstanding. I know Matic also, and he's a great guy. So tomorrow is going to be a normal game.
"If you look to all the quotes, you cannot see the disrespect there, just respect, but trying to show and give confidence to his team, especially in this year. Everyone can talk bad things about Manchester United. Sometimes our group, as players, as a coaching staff, has to show confidence in our team. So I think that's all. Again, I know really well Nemanja Matic, and how good a guy he is. So he hears some things but half, not the whole story. That for me is clear in this situation."
WE'LL NEED FRESH APPROACH AGAINST LYON
ZIRKZEE MUST BE MORE SELFISH
"I think he's improving in a lot of aspects. I think he needs to be more selfish, and that is a thing when you play as a striker. He's not a typical striker, but he has to be more selfish. He's more aggressive now, he works better now, he's defending better now, he's connecting quite well. He played as a striker in some games, especially against Arsenal he did really, really well. Then in some games, against [Real Sociedad], he played as a 10, so he can adapt to different situations. So I see that Josh is improving and showing good things."
Ruben delivers a clear message about Kobbie
ArticleRead what Amorim has to say on Mainoo's fitness following his inclusion in a 23-man squad to face Lyon.
WHY ARE WE BETTER IN THE EUROPA LEAGUE?
"I think it's nothing tactical. I truly believe it's the pace of the game, the physicality of the game. We have the best league in the world. Sometimes you don't see a lot of intensity, but I guarantee that if you compare to some games that we have in the Europa League – and I have the data to talk about it – it's completely different. And if you have one more second to think with the ball, it's a different game. I don't know the game tomorrow, but until now, I felt a difference whenever we played Europa League and when we play any Premier League game. So that small space of time can give us an advantage a bit better."
EUROPA SUCCESS COULD BE TRANSFORMATIONAL
"It's really important in all aspects. The first one is to win a title, especially a European title. In this season, in this context, winning something like that is massive for us, for our confidence. And then, to the future, to the next season. To play Champions League in our club is completely different. The environment, the way we are going to face the summer, the budget for the summer, everything is connected with this competition. We know that pressure, but again, it's not the biggest problem in Manchester United. We have other strings to get this in the right way, without Champions League next year. But of course, if we are here, we will try to win it."
Lyon v United: Watch our live training show Video
Lyon v United: Watch our live training show
LIVE TRAINING | Join Mark Sullivan and Ian Irving as United's squad work out in front of the cameras at Carrington...
WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH KOBBIE
"In this moment, we have to be careful with Kobbie. He had some weeks out, so we have to be careful with his fitness. We are really happy to have more options and an option like Kobbie Mainoo, with the quality that he has... he can play in different positions, he has already played as a six, as an eight, as a 10. So we are really pleased to have Kobbie Mainoo, but we have to be careful, and we need Kobbie Mainoo fit and fresh.
DE LIGT AND COLLYER UPDATES
"Matta has a problem in his foot. We are trying to assess. We still don't have the data that [tells us when] he can return. Toby has a small issue in his leg so we hope to have him in a few weeks."
COULD BAYINDIR PLAY AGAIN SOON?
DE LIGT AND COLLYER UPDATES
"Matta has a problem in his foot. We are trying to assess. We still don't have the data that [tells us when] he can return. Toby has a small issue in his leg so we hope to have him in a few weeks."
COULD BAYINDIR PLAY AGAIN SOON?
"We'll see. Tomorrow we're going to play Onana and Altay is returning now, so we have two, three top goalkeepers."
Is Mainoo about to return? Video
Is Mainoo about to return?
TRAINING CLIP | It’s great to see Kobbie Mainoo looking so fit and fresh at Carrington...
KOBBIE CAN PLAY AS A NO.6
"Yeah, I think in England sometimes they played with three defenders also. It was more or less the same position [as in our team], so he can play [there]. Of course, we need to help him. We need to find a little bit, like Casemiro in this moment is playing better, because we are understanding better the way that Casemiro can play, and I think we can do that with Kobbie, because he has a lot of qualities. He's really good on the ball. But he's also really good near the opponent's box, so we'll try to manage all that, to try to find the right space for a player like Kobbie."
I WANT TO HELP MAINOO
"When I see Kobbie Mainoo, I see a lot of talent, but in the way I see – I could be wrong, that's for sure – I see some things that Kobbie Mainoo has to improve. The space during the game, he has the qualities, like I said, in the build-up he needs to improve, and near the box he has a lot of talent, and that's why I think he did a very good game in the Europa League in that position [against FCSB]. When I see Kobbie Mainoo, I see him not like a full player in the moment, because he's 19. If I say to Kobbie 'No, you are done, you are the final player' I think I'm not helping Kobbie, that's all."
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