MANCHESTER UNITED BOSS Ruben Amorim has confirmed Joshua Zirkzee has suffered a season-ending hamstring injury.
Goalkeeper Andre Onana is also going to be recalled to the starting XI for Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final second leg with Lyon after his two errors last week led to him being dropped for the 4-1 defeat to Newcastle in the Premier League.
Amorim said the decision was made to allow Onana “disconnect”, but United’s head coach confirmed he will start at Old Trafford tomorrow with the tie currently 2-2.
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“Onana will play tomorrow,” the Portuguese said. “As a coach and also as a former player, I try to do things that can help a player in this situation.
“Sometimes we talk about managing players physically. We have to manage them also mentally, but then they have to return to competition and Onana is ready.
“He had one weekend that I felt that it was better for him to not play, and a good thing for Altay (Bayindir) to play. This week, my thinking was to put Onana to play.”
Zirkzee, however, will not be available for the remainder of the campaign due to the hamstring issue sustained at the weekend.
“Joshua is out for the season, so he’s not going to play more this season,” Amorim said. “Let’s prepare him for the next one.
“It’s tough, especially in this moment. I think he’s improving in all aspects of the game, so it’s hard for any player to stop, but this is football and he has to be ready now to recover.”
Zirkzee joins Lisandro Martinez in missing the rest of the season, but Amad Diallo could yet return from ankle ligament damage sustained in February.
Matthijs de Ligt, Ayden Heaven and Toby Collyer remain out as United look to progress from a tie which is locked at 2-2 after the first leg, as does Jonny Evans despite training with the group on the eve of the game.
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Joshua Zirzkee ruled out for season as Andre Onana to return for Manchester United
MANCHESTER UNITED BOSS Ruben Amorim has confirmed Joshua Zirkzee has suffered a season-ending hamstring injury.
Goalkeeper Andre Onana is also going to be recalled to the starting XI for Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final second leg with Lyon after his two errors last week led to him being dropped for the 4-1 defeat to Newcastle in the Premier League.
Amorim said the decision was made to allow Onana “disconnect”, but United’s head coach confirmed he will start at Old Trafford tomorrow with the tie currently 2-2.
“Onana will play tomorrow,” the Portuguese said. “As a coach and also as a former player, I try to do things that can help a player in this situation.
“Sometimes we talk about managing players physically. We have to manage them also mentally, but then they have to return to competition and Onana is ready.
“He had one weekend that I felt that it was better for him to not play, and a good thing for Altay (Bayindir) to play. This week, my thinking was to put Onana to play.”
Zirkzee, however, will not be available for the remainder of the campaign due to the hamstring issue sustained at the weekend.
“Joshua is out for the season, so he’s not going to play more this season,” Amorim said. “Let’s prepare him for the next one.
“It’s tough, especially in this moment. I think he’s improving in all aspects of the game, so it’s hard for any player to stop, but this is football and he has to be ready now to recover.”
Zirkzee joins Lisandro Martinez in missing the rest of the season, but Amad Diallo could yet return from ankle ligament damage sustained in February.
Matthijs de Ligt, Ayden Heaven and Toby Collyer remain out as United look to progress from a tie which is locked at 2-2 after the first leg, as does Jonny Evans despite training with the group on the eve of the game.
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