Bournemouth, April 27 Ruben Amorim has made five changes for Manchester United's Premier League away game at AFC Bournemouth. The Reds take on the Cherries on Sunday, just four days before the crucial Europa League semi-final first leg against Athletic Club.
With that fixture in mind, it was expected that Amorim might rotate the squad. Luke Shaw makes his first United start since February last year, with the England international expected to step into a left-sided role in Amorim's three-man central defence.
Diogo Dalot is absent with injury, as reported on Friday, so Noussair Mazraoui and Patrick Dorgu are likely to share the duties at wing-back.
In midfield, Casemiro returns after missing last Sunday's 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford, after playing such a pivotal role in the dramatic extra-time comeback against Lyon in the Europa League. Bruno Fernandes also returns to the starting line-up, where he will partner the Brazilian.
In attack, Rasmus Hojlund once again leads the line, with Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo occupying the two No. 10 roles just behind. Victor Lindelof, Harry Amass, Tyler Fredricson, Christian Eriksen and Manuel Ugarte drop to the bench, after starting the Wolves game.
Amorim took over United in November and has not had a great start to life at Manchester United. Despite having carved their way to the semi-finals of the Europa League, the Red Devils currently linger at 15th in their Premier League campaign, marking their worst-ever season, and have won only one of their last five league outings. Despite the immense pressure on the Portuguese, he stated he does not regret joining the club in his pre-game press conference.
"No. No regrets. Not in this moment. If you ask me, like four months ago, with all the problems maybe you feel that feeling I should be stronger in starting in the beginning of the season.
"We are suffering a lot here, there was a lot of frustration, a lot of suffering. But I feel, in this moment, maybe because it is in the end, I feel this is the most important time, maybe in the next few years, we are going to use all the information to prepare better for the next few years. So no regrets. I think this is one of the best, this is the top what a coach can achieve, so I have no regrets at all," said Amorim.
Teams:
Man Utd: Onana, Mazraoui, Maguire, Yoro, Dorgu, Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Shaw, Garnacho, Mainoo, Hojlund
Subs: Heaton, Lindelof, Mount, Eriksen, Ugarte, Evans, Amass, Fredricson, Obi
Bournemouth: Kepa, Smith, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez, Scott, Adams, Semenyo, Kluivert, Ouattara, Evanilson
Subs: Dennis, Cook, Senesi, Brooks, Tavernier, Soler, Jebbison, Araujo, Hill
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