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Amad put on a show during his second-half cameo, Ruben Amorim has to start him in the Europa League final – Man United News And Transfer News

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Old Trafford was witness to yet another magical European night as Manchester United came back from a goal down to thrash Athletic Club 4-1 in the Europa League semi-final second leg on Thursday.

An aggregate win of 7-1 against La Liga’s meanest defence is no mean feat and sets it up brilliantly for the final against Tottenham Hotspur in Bilbao in 13 days’ time.

Despite an aggregate 3-0 lead, it was a tough start for the hosts as the Basque side dominated the first 45 minutes, getting a goal in the 31st minute.

They put the home side under a lot of pressure at the start of the second half, which Leny Yoro helped weather on his own at times. That prompted Ruben Amorim to make a triple substitution, which changed the game completely.

Brilliant cameo

Mason Mount grabbed a brace, while Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund got in on the act as well. And the head coach did not fail to mention Amad’s contribution as well.

In 27 minutes, he grabbed the assist for Hojlund’s goal, which he put on a plate for the Dane after fabulous work down the right.

His ability to maneuver in tight areas and dribble past players is magical to witness and on Thursday, he completed a 100% of his dribbles during his cameo.

He had one shot which was blocked while three of his touches were inside the penalty box while one of his passes was into the final third.

Selection dilemma for Amorim

Not only with the ball, the Ivorian was class off it as well, recovering the ball twice while winning all his ground duels as well as aerial duels (all stats via fotmob).

This display will certainly make Amorim think about who he is going to start either side of the attacker against Spurs at the San Mames on May 21.

While Alejandro Garnacho runs straight at defenders, and is very direct, the Ivory Coast international can do a lot of different things and it is good for the head coach to have multiple options ahead of the biggest game of the season.

Amad’s return from injury has been timed just right with the 22-year-old netting once and assisting one in his last two substitute appearances.

Feature image Michael Steele via Getty Images

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09/05/2025
Van Dijk names two toughest players he ever faced in his career

The Liverpool defender has tested himself against many of the most formidable attacking talents of his generation. ..Continue Reading

He is frequently recognized as one of the toughest opponents by fellow players—Martin Odegaard has described him as his most challenging adversary, while Sergio Aguero also admitted he found it difficult to compete against Van Dijk.

In an interview with GQ, Van Dijk was asked to identify the most difficult player he has ever faced.

The Dutch center-back singled out both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the two most formidable opponents he has encountered.

He acknowledged that defending against either of them posed a tremendous challenge.

Speaking to GQ, Van Dijk was clear in his assessment—Messi and Ronaldo were the hardest players he has ever had to contain.

Van Dijk stated via TBR Football: “Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Both very, very, very good players.

“Very difficult to defend against. In my opinion, it is always a privilege to play against the best. You can continually challenge yourself, and you must always be at your absolute best — it is a beautiful thing.”

Van Dijk has gone up against Ronaldo five times, with the Portuguese forward getting the better of him on three occasions.

The Dutch defender has faced Messi three times, suffering defeat twice. However, his lone victory was a momentous one—Liverpool’s stunning 4-0 comeback at Anfield against Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League semi-final, overturning a 3-0 first-leg deficit to win 4-3 on aggregate.

Both Messi and Ronaldo are now in the latter stages of their legendary careers.

Messi currently plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, while Ronaldo continues his journey in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr.

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05/05/2025
Alejandro Garnacho sparked comeback chances vs Brentford, his form will please Ruben Amorim – Man United News And Transfer News

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Keeping Thursday’s Europa League semi-final second leg in mind, Ruben Amorim decided to make a lot of changes to his Manchester United team for their game against Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday.

The visitors did score first through Mason Mount, but subsequently conceded four times as the hosts used their superior physicality to bully the United backline into submission.

Alejandro Garnacho sparked hopes of a late comeback with a long-range screamer while substitute Amad added a third in added time. But the away side eventually ran out of time and ended up losing 3-4.

The comeback spirit on show was commendable and a reminder that one cannot take the Red Devils for granted at any stage of a game while the return to goalscoring ways for the Argentine was another huge boost.

Garnacho returns to form

It has been an up-and-down campaign for him but he has still managed 11 goals and 10 assists and at 20, there is a lot more to come from Garnacho should United not sell him in the summer.

The 20-year-old has hardly got any rest since January and while his finishing has often let him down, his effort cannot be understated.

He never gives up and every time the Argentina international gets the ball, his only thought is to take on his man. His goal was a thing of beauty as he curled hom from range after carrying the ball on his own from midfield.

The versatile attacker could have had another at the stroke of half-time but he fluffed his lines from an accurate cutback from Mount, who tried to return the favour for his goal.

Worked his socks off again

On Sunday, he grabbed a goal and an assist while taking two shots. The Carrington graduate made five key passes, while creating five chances, the most among his teammates.

He completed a 100 percent of his long balls while also getting one successful cross in. The United No 17 completed 31 out of 39 passes with two of them being into the final third.

He worked hard off the ball as well, completing one clearance, and one tackle while recovering the ball five times. Garnacho also won two ground duels (stats via sofascore).

The Argentine star is expected to start against Athletic Club and Amorim will expect more direct running from him as United look to qualify for the final.

Feature image Richard Heathcote via Getty Images

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04/05/2025
Cole Palmer has made his feelings clear on Liverpool transfer

Journalist Simon Phillips reported on his Substack that both Liverpool and Manchester City have been keeping a close watch on Palmer ahead of the upcoming transfer window. ..Continue Reading

City are also said to have made an official inquiry about signing the talented Chelsea midfielder.

Palmer excelled during the first half of the campaign under new manager Enzo Maresca, netting 13 goals and registering six assists before the turn of the year.

However, his form has dipped in 2025, managing just one goal—a strike in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on January 14—sparking concerns about how he fits into Maresca’s tactical approach.

In The Telegraph, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher weighed in on Palmer’s future, discussing the potential of a move to Anfield, even though such a transfer remains unlikely.

He said: “It surprises me that no-one has argued that Palmer should be on the new champions’ radar.

“Far-fetched? Too expensive? Most likely. Liverpool ‘going big’ for footballers who are already established on mammoth and long contracts elsewhere is not their strategy.”

In addition to Carragher’s observations, Palmer is still bound to Chelsea for the next eight years, following the record-breaking nine-year contract he signed last summer.

Meanwhile, the 22-year-old has already expressed his thoughts on the newly crowned Premier League champions.

Speaking in October ahead of the Premier League game between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield, which the Reds went on to win 2-1, Palmer told club media: “I just remember the Anfield crowd from our last game there.

“They had a great team then, and they’ve got a great team now, so it will be a difficult game if we’re not 100 per cent on it.

“As a boy from Manchester, you’re aware of the relationship between both cities. It’s a bit of a rivalry. Everyone knows what their stadium is like, what their fans are like and what their team is like.”

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03/05/2025