The Europa League final is undoubtedly the biggest game of Manchester United’s season.
It’s seemed for weeks now that Europa League glory is United’s best chance for Champions League qualification and, now more than ever, the ability to provide Champions League football tends to be a significant deciding factor for potential signings.
United need to be competing on Europe’s biggest stage to attract top talent and, given the importance of the final against Ajax, manager Jose Mourinho has some big calls to make.
Mourinho’s most reliable defender, Eric Bailly, is set to miss the final after picking up a red card late on in their semi-final second leg draw at home to Celta Vigo.
But another selection dilemma facing Mourinho is whether to keep the faith with Sergio Romero or turn to his first-choice goalkeeper, David De Gea.
Romero has been a mainstay in the Europa League for Mourinho, who has made no secret of his frustration about fixture congestion over the past month, and the Argentine has started between the sticks in each of the Red Devils’ last 10 games in Europe, keeping six clean sheets in the process.
There’s no doubting that De Gea is held in higher regard by Mourinho, as he tends to be selected as the last line of defence on a weekly basis in the Premier League.
So what will Mourinho do when the final rolls around on May 24? He seems to have already made his mind up.
“No dilemma,” Mourinho said, via the club’s official website. “They are two fantastic goalkeepers. I never saw in all my career two goalkeepers to be so friendly because it is a position when you always have a little bit of rivalry, especially if you are both the same kind of level.
“You are speaking about Argentina national goalkeeper and Spain national goalkeeper. They are so friends and they support each other all the time. I never saw a bad face. I also saw them supporting each other.
“I think it is fair Sergio is going to play the final and David accepts. He accepts that because, especially, he has already played Europa League matches. And if we win the trophy, David wins the trophy because he played two matches against Feyenoord and against Fenerbahce.
“But if everything goes normal and we have no problems, Sergio plays the final.”
