Ruben Amorim explains why Chido Obi not in Manchester United squad for Europa League | OneFootball

Depleted Red Devils head to Real Sociedad for last-16 first-leg tie having named a squad of just 18 players

Ruben Amorim has explained both Manchester United’s decision to omit Chido Obi from their squad for the Europa League knockout stages and why he only has 18 players heading to Real Sociedad.

The Red Devils are in Spain for Thursday night’s last-16 first-leg tie with a small playing group heavily depleted by a raft of absentees including their teenage striker.

At that time Obi had yet to be promoted to first-team duties amid an ongoing injury crisis after scoring a hat-trick against Chelsea in the FA Youth Cup, making the senior squad for all of the last four matches and handed his first two appearances as a substitute in the Premier League against Tottenham and Everton, while also coming off the bench with a bright cameo in Sunday’s FA Cup fifth round defeat by Fulham at Old Trafford.

Instead, United, replacing Marcus Rashford, Antony and Tyrell Malacia, three members of their initial Europa League squad who all left the club on loan in January, added new signings Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven plus another youngster in Jack Fletcher.

"It's a different context in that moment," Amorim explained ahead of the trip to Sociedad. "Rasmus [Hojlund] and Josh [Zirkzee] were playing in the same position, so we try to manage all the things, even the expectations of the kids.

"So it was that. The context was completely different and we choose different players."

Amorim named a squad of only 18 players to travel to Spain rather than the usual 23, leaving five empty places with Obi ineligible for selection and injuries now ruling out Harry Maguire and Manuel Ugarte in addition to Lisandro Martinez, Amad Diallo, Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount, Luke Shaw, Altay Bayindir and Jonny Evans.

Midfielder Toby Collyer has at least shaken off an injury of his own to join fellow youngsters Heaven and Harry Amass plus Elyh Harrison and Dermot Mee, both goalkeepers.

Jack Fletcher, Jaydan Kamason, James Scanlon, Jack Moorhouse and Hubert Graczyk had all trained with the first-team squad at Carrington on Wednesday.

Explaining his squad selection for Sociedad, Amorim said: "When I put the squad, I see the players that I have that train with us and then I imagine the substitutions. That’s why I sometimes call it one or two. Then I’m trying to see if they train with us.

"Then I’m trying to see if they come here to play or be on the bench, for you guys to be seeing a lot of youth. I’m trying to manage everything.

"I know it’s a big step for them. I’m trying to cope with everything. When I do my squad, I’m trying to think about every aspect, of the formation of the kid, of the squad and not if it will look really well with the fans and the media.

"He [Jack Fletcher] didn't train with us [earlier]. And he had a game before Fulham [the FA Youth Cup victory over Arsenal]. Amass is here today. In the last game against Fulham, we wanted Amass also but, because he played a full game against Arsenal, he was not in our squad.

"We try to manage all the teams and try to imagine the substitutions and we know to bring some players [in] is a big step. We are taking care of the expectations of the kids."