- United will look to save something from their season with Europa League run
- They are, however, without a number of players due to ongoing injury issues
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Manchester United have named a threadbare squad for their Europa League clash with Real Sociedad on Thursday evening.
United are looking to salvage something from what has been a dismal season, which has seen them linger in the bottom half of the Premier League and out of both the Carabao and FA Cups.
They could yet claim silverware, however, via the Europa League, and will face LaLiga’s Sociedad away from home in the first leg of their last-16 clash this week.
United are struggling for numbers of late, with the likes of Mason Mount, Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martinez out injured, while both Antony and Marcus Rashford departed on loan in the winter.
Competition rules allow teams to name 12 substitutes in games, meaning squads can be as deep as 23 for matches, though United have taken just 18 players to Spain for the match.
That means United will have just seven substitutes for the game, with Harry Maguire and Manuel Ugarte picking up issues in the week.
Manchester United have left five squad spots unused for their clash with Real Sociedad
United are struggling with injuries ahead of Thursday night’s Europa League fixture
Manuel Ugarte is one of a number of players who are currently out injured for Ruben Amorim’s struggling side
A number of players in the squad are expected to be youngsters, with the likes of Ayden Heaven, Harry Amass and Toby Collyer all set to be involved. Forward Chido Obi, who has been involved in the first team recently, is not in the squad.
Patrick Dorgu will provide a welcome inclusion for United amid his Premier League suspension, while both Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund, who are struggling for goals, have travelled as forward options.
Also included are the likes of Andre Onana, Matthijs De Ligt, Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho.
Despite their Premier League struggles, which have seen them slip down to 14th in the standings, United are in decent form in the Europa League and finished third in the league phase, finishing unbeaten.
They are among the favourites to lift the trophy at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain, on May 22. Also up there in the odds are the likes of Tottenham and Athletic Bilbao themselves.
The agent of one on-loan star, meanwhile – Antony – has snapped back at Amorim after he claimed that the winger struggled in the Premier League due to his lack of physicality.
Junior Pedroso, disagreed with the Portuguese’s stance in an interview with Marca, saying: ‘We respect Ruben Amorim’s opinion, but we do not agree with his point of view at all.
‘Attributing Antony’s lack of success at Manchester United to a physical factor is a superficial analysis that does not correspond to reality.’
In addition, Pedroso opted to point the finger at the culture and conditions at Manchester United as a reason for players failing.
