Manchester United will host Bournemouth in the 16th round of the Premier League. Ahead of the game, United manager Ruben Amorim attended a press conference.
Q: Could you update us on the team's situation? Will Benjamin Šeško be available, and what about Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire?
Maguire is definitely out, and de Ligt won't be available either. As for Ben, we need to wait and see—we have to check if his physical condition allows it. He had some food poisoning earlier.
Q: Food poisoning?Yes, food poisoning. But we'll have to wait for more details. We still have two training sessions left. The other two are definitely ruled out, and I'll further assess Benjamin's situation.
Q: Are there any other absentees? Also, considering the Africa Cup of Nations, will these two injuries affect the reporting time of players set to participate in AFCON?
No other absentees. Regarding your second question, we're still in communication with the players' national teams. The game is next Monday (UK time), and they're all currently training with the team. We're anticipating all possible scenarios and preparing fully for the match.
Q: The uncertainty of potentially missing three key players—does that frustrate you?
Yes, it's really frustrating. But on the flip side, not having a confirmed starting lineup yet is actually a good thing. I believe our squad has enough depth to handle all situations. We have ample preparation time this week, so we can refine tactical details for different scenarios and be fully ready.
Q: When you first took office, you said Mason Mount was one of the players you were most looking forward to working with. Stats show the team's win rate is much higher when he's in the squad. How important is he in your team-building process?
You can draw that conclusion from the stats alone, but we shouldn't just scratch the surface—we need to analyze it alongside specific match situations. However, Mount is indeed a very intelligent player with extremely exquisite technical skills. A technically gifted player isn't just about dribbling; the key lies in details like passing quality and first-touch ability, which he handles very maturely. He can well organize the team's offensive and defensive rhythm—he's an excellent player.
Q: Another question about AFCON-bound players. When do you expect to receive official call-up notifications? Will all players get them at the same time? After all, Enzo's call-up time seems to be earlier than Bryan's?
I'm not sure if notifications will be sent in batches as you mentioned. It depends on each national team's arrangements—every team has its own call-up plan. I expect results today or tomorrow, but we'll wait until the last minute to keep as many players as possible in the squad to select the strongest lineup for the game.
Q: Let's talk specifically about de Ligt. You previously hoped he could play against Wolves, but he ended up being absent. What's the exact situation with his injury? Is it serious?
From what I know, he's having some back discomfort, and the exact situation is still unclear. He played the full 90 minutes against Crystal Palace and didn't seem to have a serious injury, but he reported back pain after the game. We originally thought this week's recovery training would help him improve, but he still feels some pain, so we have to be cautious.
Q: You've always emphasized that the next game is the next challenge. How big is the challenge against Bournemouth?
I think Bournemouth is a top team with an excellent manager and high-quality players. I won't pay too much attention to their past results; instead, I focus more on how they play against different opponents. Their high press is very ferocious, their attacking style is direct, and they have diverse frontline options. This requires us to make thorough preparations and formulate multiple response plans. So I anticipate a very tough Premier League game, but we must fight for victory—especially at home, that's our goal.
Q: How do you assess Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola's work at the club?
He's done an excellent job. He's led the team to play like a top side, and he's very good at developing players—you can clearly see significant progress in many of his players. Now, several players in the team have top-flight standards. As a manager, his achievements are impressive.
