Man Utd contemplate resting key starters for Newcastle clash

Ruben Amorim has admitted that key personnel could be rested for Sunday's clash with Newcastle United to preserve energy for Manchester United's Europa League quarter-final second leg against Lyon.

The Red Devils travel to St James' Park looking to end their two-game winless run in the Premier League. But with the club languishing in 13th, they have nothing but pride to play for domestically between now and the end of the campaign.

However, United have an enormous continental encounter with Lyon on Thursday as they fight to win the Europa League and qualify for the Champions League as a result, with last Thursday's first leg finishing 2-2 in France.

Rayan Cherki's 95th-minute equaliser denied United victory following goals from summer signings Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee, leaving the tie finely poised ahead of the second leg at Old Trafford.

With such a mammoth encounter to come, Amorim has confessed that he's considering rotating regular first-teamers against Newcastle as United understandably prioritise European success.

"It's an evaluation," said Amorim when quizzed about resting players, including skipper Bruno Fernandes. "We'll make this evaluation with all the staff, with all the data that we have, and then because we know already the players, we will try to protect the ones that it will be hard to make a lot of games.

"But Bruno Fernandes is playing all the time and he's playing better all the time. Sometimes, this kind of player has to play in every match. But we will address that in these days that we have to prepare."

Fernandes is a prime example of a player desperately needing rest, with the Portuguese having played almost every minute this season - 4,078 from a possible 4,470 minutes, to be precise. However, whether United can manage without their talisman is another question.

"Sometimes, winning games is the best way of preparing the next one," added Amorim. "Of course, I'm going to be careful with some players, but we need to be competitive. When you are playing for Manchester United, you cannot go to the game thinking about the next one.

"So we are going to face this one. We have three days and we are going to prepare the game in the way without a lot of running, a lot of training.

"It's just recovering. And then we will be fine on Thursday, with our fans. But we need to face Newcastle in a way that we can win the game."

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