Man Utd’s Europa League hopes boosted as Athletic Club confirm Nico Williams blow

Manchester United's bid to win the Europa League may have received a huge boost after their semi-final opponents, Athletic Club, confirmed star winger Nico Williams has picked up an injury.

United head coach Ruben Amorim has admitted he plans to rest his big names in the Premier League to keep them fresh for their Europa League quest, with a young side beaten 1-0 by Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday.

Even with a fresh squad, United still have plenty of work to do to see off Athletic, but their cause may have been boosted as Williams' involvement in the game is in doubt.

United's first leg against Athletic comes on May 1, before the Basque outfit head to Old Trafford for the return fixture seven days later, giving Williams around two weeks to recover if he wants to play any part in the tie.

Amorim rested Diogo Dalot, the right wing-back who would likely face up against Williams, during the defeat to Wolves, in which talisman midfielder Bruno Fernandes also dropped to the bench to manage his fitness.

With nothing to play for in the Premier League at this point in a bitterly disappointing season, the focus is now solely on winning the Europa League and booking a spot in next season's Champions League as a result.

Making it to Europe's top competition could be huge for United, who have already started plotting their transfer plans in the event they do make it to the Champions League.

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