'The players we will buy this summer' - Ratcliffe's £89m reminder puts more pressure on Amorim at Man United

If anyone was underestimating the importance of Manchester United's Europa League clash with Real Sociedad on Thursday night, they really ought to think again.

United head into the second leg of their last-16 showdown with the Spanish outfit at Old Trafford with the tie level at 1-1 after last week's first leg in San Sebastian. United were in control for much of the contest and took a deserved lead through Joshua Zirkzee after 57 minutes.

However, a dubious penalty decision handed Mikel Oyarzabal the opportunity to level proceedings from the spot and he accepted the invitation. It means that everything is all to play for.

United's Premier League campaign has long been dead in the water. They currently sit 14th with ten games left to play. Even a top half finish looks as though it will be out of reach.

United are also out of both domestic cup competitions, exiting the FA Cup at the hands of Fulham via a penalty shootout just over a week ago. It means their only hope of saving their campaign is by winning the Europa League.

The Reds last won a European trophy in 2017, scooping the Europa League in Jose Mourinho's first season in charge. Fellow countryman Ruben Amorim will be dreaming of following in his footsteps.

The added bonus of winning the Europa League, of course, is securing qualification for the following season's Champions League. Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has said United's new stadium, for which plans were revealed on Tuesday morning, should be hosting the final of Europe's premier club competition in years to come.

The hope is United's new stadium will take five years to construct, meaning it will not be hosting any form of Champions League fixture for quite some time. But the hope is that United will be in a