‘Not ideal’: Journo hints one United star shouldn’t have started tonight, but Amorim was forced into change

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·1 Mei 2025

‘Not ideal’: Journo hints one United star shouldn’t have started tonight, but Amorim was forced into change

Manchester United are underway in Spain and hoping to leave with an advantage to take back to Old Trafford in the second leg of their Europa League semi-final next week.

The prospect of advancing to the final, also held in Bilbao on May 21, is an opportunity the Red Devils simply cannot pass up on. It’d do wonders for the side’s confidence and, perhaps more importantly, Ruben Amorim’s, as he prepares for the first full season of his tenure in M16 next season.

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Ahead of kick-off tonight, Amorim made a handful of changes to his starting XI in hopes of overturning Athletic Club on their home turf, with some proving controversial amongst the United faithful.

Amorim deploys rotated XI in UEL first leg

For example, Luke Shaw has dropped to the bench after making his first start in 14 months away to Bournemouth last Sunday.

He played the full 90 minutes at the Vitality Stadium, after which the manager revealed he did not plan for that to be the case; he wanted to withdraw Shaw before the full-time whistle but recognised how beneficial it was to have him on the field when the Reds were chasing an equaliser against 10 men.

Shaw rested after first start since February 2024

Amorim is overseeing the most pivotal game of his tenure thus far. (Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)

In place of the left-back this evening is Victor Lindelof, who is now overseeing his final appearances at the club before his contract expires at the end of June. United have opted against offering the 30-year-old a new deal, while his senior counterpart, Harry Maguire, did have his one-year option activated by INEOS’ key decision-makers.

Reacting to the change on X/Twitter, Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst penned: “Amorim didn’t plan to keep Shaw on for the full 90 at Bournemouth but even if he came off early it might have been too much for him to start tonight. Not ideal picking a defender who’s getting released but Amorim has to play the percentages.”