Win Or Bust In Europa League For Ruben Amorim's Manchester United

Ruben Amorim has bet the house on the Europa League after Manchester United's disastrous Premier League campaign, knowing this season and next hinge on winning the competition. The Portuguese manager took over from the sacked Erik ten Hag in November, with United a miserable 13th in the table. Now they are 14th. That the former Sporting Lisbon boss is not under more intense pressure is largely due to a general appreciation of the scale of the task he faces at Old Trafford. United, so dominant domestically under former manager Alex Ferguson, will finish the season with their lowest points tally in the Premier League era. But Amorim's team can still rescue their campaign with victory in the Europa League, which brings with it a place in next season's Champions League.

A return to Europe's top club competition could transform the future of United in the short term, boosting the coffers and making Old Trafford a more attractive destination for much-needed new recruits.

But United face a tough task in the semi-finals against Athletic Bilbao, fourth in La Liga, who have the added incentive of knowing the final will be held at their stadium.

"San Mames will roar. We want to keep this dream alive," Bilbao tweeted this week ahead of Thursday's first leg in the Basque Country.

The winners of the tie will face either troubled Tottenham or Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt in the final. 

United produced a comeback for the ages to see off Lyon in the quarter-finals, scoring three times in seven minutes in front of a disbelieving Old Trafford crowd.

But they have since returned to type, losing to Wolves and drawing at Bournemouth in the Premier League as Liverpool equalled their record of 20 English top-flight titles.

Amorim, 40, admits