Ruben Amorim admits Man United are in survival mode amid their crippling injury crisis ahead of this weekend’s clash with Arsenal

Ruben Amorim has warned that his weary Manchester United players will have to ‘survive’ against Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday, and doubled down on his claim that he will not be given as long as Gunners boss Mikel Arteta to turn the club around.

United face their old rivals less than three days after drawing with Real Sociedad in the last 16 of the Europa League with just five outfield players on the bench due to injuries. Amorim must decide who is fit to play and who needs resting ahead of next week’s second leg against the Spaniards.

‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘We need to survive Sunday. The team was so tired in the last 20 minutes. We have to prepare Sunday and think about this important game for our season on Thursday. In this moment, I don’t know.’

Asked if he will rotate his squad, Amorim added: ‘When you are in this kind of club you cannot think like that with a small squad in this moment. We are trying to see all the players who are fresh and who are not in danger of getting an injury. Even with that we have to risk a little bit, but we have to be competitive on Sunday.

‘In the Premier League, every game is really important. In our moment, we need to win. It’s always a problem when we don’t win. We have to focus on everything at the same time.

‘I think the biggest problem is not having all the players. In the beginning people talk about our rotation, especially in Europe, changing all the time and it’s because of this.

Man United are struggling with injuries and only had five outfield players on the bench against Real Sociedad on Thursday

Amorim is adamant he will not be given as much time as Mikel Arteta to turn United’s fortunes around

‘Europa League is, in my opinion, so much harder than the Champions League. Not the game, but the recovery to play in the Premier League on the weekend. We have to deal with that.’

Amorim suffered his first defeat as United head coach against Arsenal in December and said before that game that he won’t have as much time as Arteta to bring success back to the club. Three months on, his view hasn’t changed despite having gained revenge by beating Arsenal in the FA Cup on penalties.

‘I will not have the time Arteta had, I feel that. It’s a different club,’ he said. ‘So we just need to survive with the players on Sunday and we are doing these games.

‘I think it’s a different club. I think in that aspect, the way Arteta dealt with that is an inspiration for everybody, but I will not have the time like Arteta had.’

Before the game, United fans are planning more protests against the Glazers and minority owners Ineos over their running of the club and plans to raise ticket prices.

‘For everybody in our club, it’s a really tough moment,’ said Amorim. ‘It’s everything at the same time. The only thing I can do is and our players can do is perform well and win.

‘People have the right to protest. I think it’s a good thing to do that. It’s part of our club, everybody has a voice. But our job and my job is just to improve the team and give them something in this moment because they deserve it and they are amazing.’