Manchester United are back in European action this week after the Ruben Amorim era commenced with a 1-1 draw at Ipswich Town yesterday evening. Amorim's first team will aim for a second successive Europa League victory when Norwegian champions Bodo/Glimt visit Old Trafford on Thursday.
Tomorrow, United's Under-19s travel to Amsterdam for the first leg of their UEFA Youth League third-round qualifier against AZ Alkmaar.
U19s boss Adam Lawrence has included wonderkid striker Chido Obi Martin after an impressive start to life in Manchester after his high-profile summer switch from Arsenal.
Related articles
The towering 16-year-old scored his fourth goal in United colours in a 3-0 win against Leeds United at the weekend, days after netting his first goal for Denmark's Under-18s.
Obi Martin's potential involvement in the Netherlands is the next phase of his steady adaptation at United. He has not yet managed a complete game but played 71 minutes against Leeds.
Ethan Wheatley, who has already made his senior debut, is also part of the travelling squad alongside fellow hot prospects, including Gabriele Biancheri, Jack Fletcher, Amir Ibragimov and Bendito Mantato.
United's U18s have been just as dominant as last season in the early stages of the current campaign, winning 13 of their 14 matches and scoring 62 goals.
They booked their spot in the third-round qualifier by demolishing Lithuanian side FK Zalgiris 11-2 on aggregate, following a 5-2 away win with a 6-0 triumph on home turf.
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy
Two days after the AZ clash, United's senior players face their fifth game of the Europa League campaign against Bodo/Glimt.
In one of his four games in interim charge, Ruud van Nistelrooy oversaw a 2-0 victory against Greek champions PAOK.
It extended United's unbeaten start to the competition. However, it was their first three points after draws with FC Twente, Porto and Fenerbahce.
Amorim's side are 15th in the table, three places below Bodo/Glimt, but the Portuguese coach has suggested he plans to rotate his team for Thursday's meeting.
He prioritised stars who had more training days during the international break in the draw at Portman Road but will have an expanded player pool this week.
Related articles
"We have to find a way [for players to quickly adapt to his new instructions]. I think the only way to do it is we have games, and the guys that don't play have training," Amorim explained.
"Everybody is going to play, and everybody is going to be on the bench, so they have the feeling of the game, but they need to train.
"With this schedule, we need to rotate the team. So, we will try to use that to train, to improve the team and to win matches. That is the point."
He added: "Without time, we have to find the time, and I think this is the only way. Some of the guys are going to play, some of the guys on the next day will work on our idea and then they will change the position."
