Ruben Amorim, who is under increasing pressure as Manchester United’s manager, may need to take a page out of José Mourinho’s playbook by prioritizing the Europa League to secure a Champions League spot. Currently, United is struggling in the Premier League, sitting in 12th place, 12 points behind the top four. With their domestic form faltering, their best route to European football next season seems to lie in winning the Europa League, just as Mourinho did in 2017 during his first season in charge.
Back then, Mourinho made the bold decision to focus on the Europa League after United's hopes of finishing in the Premier League's top four had faded. United ended up in sixth place, a full seven points adrift of the top four, but Mourinho’s gamble paid off when they triumphed 2-1 over Ajax in the Europa League final. This victory secured their spot in the Champions League for the following season. Now, with a similarly bleak outlook in the league, Amorim could be faced with making a similar strategic choice to guide United back into Europe’s elite competition.
United’s Premier League season has been disastrous, with 10 losses in 23 matches and a goal difference that highlights their struggles in both attack and defense. With only 15 games left, their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League via the Premier League appear slim. On the other hand, their performance in the Europa League has been far more promising, as they remain unbeaten and are joint favorites to win the competition alongside Tottenham.
The Europa League presents a less challenging field this season, as there are no teams dropping down from the Champions League, making it a more attainable trophy. United are currently fourth in their group, needing just a draw in their final group-stage match against FCSB in Bucharest to secure a top-eight finish and avoid a two-leg playoff in the knockout rounds.
Since Amorim took over after Erik ten Hag's dismissal in October, United have shown improvement in the Europa League, winning four of their last four group-stage matches. Given the weaker competition and United's form in Europe, Amorim faces little excuse not to take the team all the way to victory, with the final in Bilbao set for May 21. In the face of United's domestic struggles, a Europa League triumph could be the manager's way of achieving European success this season.
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