Every word from Ruben and Harry's press conference

Amorim provided the latest team news in a varied discussion with the press, but also focused on how qualification for the Champions League - by winning this season's Europa League - could affect United next season, both in terms of finances and on the training ground.

Read below to dissect everything the boss and Harry had to say...

Hi Ruben, first of all, are you able to provide an update on the severity of Joshua Zirkzee’s injury?

"Joshua is out for the season. So he’s not going to play more this season. Let’s prepare him for the next one."

How’s he doing mentally, then? That must be a huge blow…

"It’s tough. 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 but he has to be ready now to recover."

There’s been a lot of talk about the goalkeepers in the last week. Will you be able to confirm who’s starting?

"Onana. Onana will play tomorrow."

Just on the other players that are absent. Do you expect Matthijs de Ligt to be out for the season or is he likely to be back?

"No, Matta is going to return still this season. Ayden [Heaven] is out for this game, he had a small issue in the same spot during training, a contact with a team-mate. Jonny Evans is returning to the training but is not available for this game and some other players that we have to manage the minutes."

We saw Amad doing some ball work, do you expect him to play this month or will it be probably in May?

"Yeah this month is, he’s not ready for this month but we hope to have Amad still for this season."

Just in terms of Andre, what do you have to think about before you make a decision, because it’s clearly a big decision?

"I just think first of all as a coach, and also as a former player. I try to do things that can help a player in this situation. So 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 it was better for him to not play, and a good thing for Altay, and this week, my thinking was to put Onana to play."

Harry, we know how big this competition now is for Manchester United. What is your view of United being in this situation where you’re in the bottom half of the table and this competition is the only thing that can save it from being a disastrous season?

"Obviously it’s been a disappointing season, there’s no doubt about it. From the start of the season, we’ve been far too inconsistent. I think the performances have picked up of late, however I still think there’s key aspects in the game where us players have to take more responsibility and change them in our favour. There’s been a lot of games that have been 50-50 and we’ve ended up on the bad end of a result, and that’s something that we do need to work on as a team and a group of players. But of course, tomorrow night is an important night for us in the competition, a big game at Old Trafford, a European night and one that we’re looking forward to."

Harry, what does it mean for a player at United to actually finish the season with a trophy, how important is it that you actually have something tangible to show at the end of the season?

"Yeah, of course, it’s so important. There’s no doubt about it that if we do win the Europa League it’s still going to be a disappointing season for us players. But winning that would be a big bonus. Playing for this club demands trophies, and winning the Europa League would be a special trophy to win. It gives us access to the Champions League next season, something that we obviously can’t gain through the Premier League because our results haven’t been good enough, so it’s important that we win trophies at the club. Every competition that we play in, we’ve got to try and win and this is the only competition that we’re left in so, of course, tomorrow night’s a big game for us. We know that. It’s one that we’re looking forward to."

Ruben, a lot’s been made of what it means in the short-term but also in the long-term. Already, mid-April, are you thinking of next season, whether you qualify for Champions League or whether you don’t? Do you have a plan A and a plan B?

"I think it’s more about the budget. I think that is important when you are planning the next season. Champions League can change everything. But you can see it in both ways. If you have Champions League, it’s going to be tough to play against top teams on Wednesday and then top teams in [the] Premier League. We are in the moment that you can feel it that the team needs a lot of work. A lot of work means a lot of time to train. So, you can see it both ways. If you don’t have Champions League – and we want Champions League, we want to win the title, it’s the most important thing, it’s the best thing – but if you don’t have Champions League, you can think that we can have full weeks to rebuild and have more time to work. So that is important when are going to make the plan for the next season, it’s really important, it will change everything."

Ruben what’s the process when you are picking your goalkeeper? Do you just pick yourself or do you consult Jorge Vital [goalkeeping coach] and the other coaches as well?

"Of course, the staff is there not just to be there. Of course I have conversations and then I have my feeling as a coach and a former player. Then I’m trying to imagine the game, because they of course are defending a goal but they have different characteristics. So I make the evaluation the same way that I make it for the other players. Of course, the other players, the way we want to play, is more with me, of course I have a conversation with the staff, but of course, Craig [Mawson, assistant goalkeeping coach] and Jorge Vital has a huge impact in my decision."

Ruben, on Andre, is there a danger that taking the decision you did for the Newcastle game, does that not put him under more pressure and scrutiny when he comes back tomorrow night?

"Yeah, that is not just the dilemma but the big factor on being a coach. Everything you do has two ways. He’s going to be really good tomorrow, I’m sure of that, but if he’s the other way, people will say that it was a bad decision. We never know. I’m trying to be clear on things, try to make the evaluation, be really simple, not over-thinking, and when I imagine the game, and I see Andre Onana, he had one week and he rest, now he’s ready to return to competition and I chose Andre to start this game."

And just on the Europa League, you obviously want to win the tournament, but is this team good enough to play in the Champions League next season, given you’re going to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League?

"If you look at this moment I think we are not ready to be really competitive in the Premier League and to cope with the Champions League. I think it’s really clear and we have to be really clear. But then you play in one club, you should fight for this competition, you should be on Champions League. If you have Champions League, you know that you have a different budget to try to put a better team for next season but this team, with new players, will need time to work so I think it’s something that we’ll discover next year hopefully."

Ruben, do you need a new goalkeeper this summer or are you happy with the goalkeepers you have here?

"We need to improve. We cannot look to the team of Manchester United and say, ‘we are in this position in the league, we have been really under-performing this season’ and you cannot change all the players. What you should do, is to improve any position on the team with the players that we have, and try to bring different characteristics for the next year."

So, very politely, can you answer my question, do you need a new goalkeeper?

"Yeah, I know, you want one question but you choose the questions, I choose the answers. My answer is we need to improve every position on the field. Goalkeeper is the same. We can work with Andre, if our team scores more goals and is more dangerous on the forwards and the strikers, we will defend better, Onana will defend better. Andre Onana already proved that he’s a top player in Inter. So he has the past, Altay the same thing in Fenerbahce. Sometimes you have some seasons where we are underperforming. If we are going that if any player is underperforming you have to change everything, that is not the process that we need now."

I respect that, but he consistently has made mistakes for Manchester United, it’s not just one season. You’re the coach, you’re saying there’s a possibility that maybe you might get a new goalkeeper in the summer…

"No, what I’m saying is we are going to make that evaluation for any position in the squad. If we are talking about mistakes, you can see my record. My record is the worst one in our team. I’m also under-performing, and I think I’m the right guy to coach the team so I think the same way for Andre."

Can you give us an update on Matthijs De Ligt?

"Yeah he’s going to return before the end of the season. He has some game. He finished the game against Nottingham so sometimes it’s something that we need to be sure he’s in the right moment to return to competition. He’s working really hard and he’s a tough guy so we expect to have Matta in this next week."

A question for Harry: What’s it like to play as a defender in front of Andre and when there are issues is it a robust conversation that you have with him? You’ve been a captain of this club. Or is it more of an arm round the shoulder?

"First and foremost, Andre has proved in his past that he’s an excellent goalkeeper. He’s proved it at Inter. He’s won numerous trophies, played in Champions League finals. During your career, you always have spells where you have ups and downs and you find yourself out of form. It’s about how you build yourself back in and find that confidence to perform again. I think at the moment he’s probably feeling that everything’s going against him. But you take it game by game and I’m sure again he’s going to be there tomorrow night, and he’s a big personality, a big character, and he’ll be looking forward to the game. He’ll want to show everyone again what he’s about.

"Playing in front of Andre is great. I have confidence in Andre. Like I say, he’s had a fantastic career, he’s got great experience and we all know he’s an excellent goalkeeper."

On Andre again, Ruben, you’ve said you’ve talked to your coaching staff about him. Have you spoken to him personally and did you need that conversation to be convinced that he can come back and perform on Thursday night?

"When I made that decision in the last weekend, I talked before that decision with Andre, and that is important for me, to explain with the player what I’m thinking. And then sometimes the player is saying one thing and I understand these are different things. Sometimes it’s my feeling as a coach, that can make my decision more than what they are saying to me. Because sometimes they want to show that they are really confident and I feel the other way. So I’m giving just an example. So, I have the conversation, but then it’s my decision in the end."

But having spoken to him, you are convinced quite happily that he’s good to go?

"Yeah, I have that feeling for sure. I’m just thinking about the team. I’m not putting Andre because I think Andre deserves to return to competition, I’m just thinking about the game. It’s really important for us."

For Harry, please, obviously all the questions are about Andre, the spotlight is on him. You’ve had situations where it’s been you. Can I ask what that’s like and how do you deal with that at this club?

"Try your best to ignore it all. Focus on your job. Come in on a daily basis and do your best. I always said to myself, that’s all that you can do. Tomorrow night is another game of football. You go on that pitch and you give absolutely everything. And when you walk off, you say to yourself, ‘I’ve left everything out there’ and no matter how you perform, that’s only what you can do. It’s the same for any player who wears this badge. It comes with a responsibility to perform and when you don’t perform and when the league results aren’t good enough, there’s people who obviously do come under the spotlight. I’ve been in that situation myself. But like I say, all you can do is day in, day out, do your best, work as hard as possible, and take each games as it comes."