Manchester United have been handed a timely fitness boost ahead of their Europa League final clash against Tottenham Hotspur, with Joshua Zirkzee, Diogo Dalot, and Leny Yoro all returning to training on Tuesday.
The trio took part in the team’s final session at Carrington before flying to Bilbao for Wednesday’s all-English showdown at the San Mames Stadium. The return of these key players offers a glimmer of hope for Ruben Amorim’s side, who are desperate to end a dismal domestic season on a high.
Zirkzee’s reappearance was particularly unexpected. The Dutch striker had been sidelined since April with a hamstring injury sustained against Newcastle and was previously thought to be out for the season. Dalot, the Portuguese full-back, has missed the last six matches with a calf injury, while French centre-back Yoro was absent during United’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea last Friday due to a foot issue.
Despite the encouraging news, Dutch defender Matthijs de Ligt remains unavailable, having missed United’s last three games with an undisclosed injury.
Ruben Amorim, who took over from Erik ten Hag in November, has struggled to reverse the club’s fortunes, with United languishing in 16th place in the Premier League, just a point above Tottenham. However, victory in the Europa League final would not only deliver Amorim his first trophy at the helm but also secure Manchester United a vital spot in next season’s Champions League.
Kick-off at the San Mames is scheduled for 8 p.m. local time.
Written By Rodney Mbua