Amorim shifts Manchester United focus to Europa League after 16th Premier League defeat

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has made it clear that the club is prioritizing their Europa League campaign, following a 4-3 defeat to Brentford that marked their record 16th Premier League loss of the season and confirmed a bottom-half finish. Amorim fielded one of the youngest Premier League starting XIs ever, emphasizing the need to prepare his squad for European competition rather than domestic success at this stage. He cited injuries, particularly to defender Matthijs de Ligt, and squad rotation as necessary measures to preserve key players for the crucial semi-final against Athletic Bilbao, where United hold a 3-0 lead. Amorim admitted the team is not yet ready to compete consistently on both domestic and European fronts, underlining that winning the Europa League is now essential for securing Champions League qualification and giving fans something to celebrate. Despite defensive frailties and inexperience, Amorim praised his young players’ efforts and insisted that the club is building for the future. Both Amorim and midfielder Mason Mount acknowledged that while the Premier League season has been disappointing, success in Europe could still provide a positive end to the campaign.