You do not have to trawl back too far to find Ruben Amorim sounding fairly nonplussed about Manchester United’s Europa League campaign, or at least its transformative potential on a season that has plumbed the depths of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

“People look at this tournament as the only competition that can save our season,” the head coach told TNT Sports before their last-16 trip to Real Sociedad last month. “I don’t see it like that. Nothing can save our season.”

He had changed his tune somewhat by the time he spoke to the same broadcaster in an Old Trafford that was still shaking at its foundations from Thursday’s scarcely credible comeback.

“We have to be really focused on the Europa League,” he said after United’s 5-4 win against Lyon set up a semi-final against Athletic Club. There can be no question about it now. It is Bilbao, and then Bilbao again, or bust.

That will come with consequences for the remainder of a Premier League campaign that, points-wise, is already guaranteed to be United’s nadir.

“We have to take a risk sometimes with the kids in the Premier League and be tough on that,” he added, in the matter-of-fact manner we have come to expect. United will, if necessary, turn to the academy.

“The fans have to understand that we have to focus on the Europa League.”

Plenty of supporters have called for exactly this over the past few months. ‘Just play the kids’ has been a common refrain. Crisis, opportunity and all that. But it is an approach that carries attendant risks, as Amorim was quick to point out afterwards.

“It’s not the best moment or the best season to put some kids to play because again they need a strong base to really show what they can do,” he said in his post-match press conference.

What the ‘play the kids’ clamour has ignored is that the 2024-25 United is not an environment conducive to nurturing young talent, let alone allowing it to thrive.

Even so, Amorim did not row back on his promise to play the youngsters. “In this moment, we need to do it,” he said. “And sometimes you have surprises.”

Take Ayden Heaven. Amorim admitted that when the 18-year-old joined from Arsenal without a senior league appearance to his name in January, he did not fully consider him part of his first-team squad. Heaven only played because of injuries across Amorim’s back line.

“But today I think of Ayden as my player, so when he’s ready, he’s facing competition to play,” he said.

Whether Heaven will be relied upon again down the stretch is unclear. He was in attendance on Thursday but wearing a protective boot after an injury setback during training at the start of the week. But Heaven’s case shows that solutions could be found if United draw deeper from the well.

Chido Obi has made such an impression in fleeting senior cameos that not registering the 17-year-old for the Europa League could be regarded as an oversight.

It may now be a blessing in disguise, affording Rasmus Hojlund opportunities to rest between European assignments as United’s only senior recognised centre-forward. Amorim confirmed Obi will be one of the youngsters he turns to.

Harry Amass can expect more opportunities. The 18-year-old left-back was touted to leave on loan in January but when no suitable destination was found, academy bosses decided he would be better served staying around a first-team environment he was close to breaking into.

Amass acquitted himself well once called upon to play the final 20 minutes of extra time, just as he did on his first senior start at St James’ Park on Sunday.

But this situation could demand that Amorim trusts talented youngsters who are yet to play even one senior minute. Jack Moorhouse, a 19-year-old midfielder, has demonstrated an ability to pick up the ball and carry it up the pitch at youth level — an attribute sorely lacking among the first-team squad.

Godwill Kukonki, 17, was Amorim’s left-sided centre-half in reserve before Heaven’s arrival, has featured in six matchday squads this season, and may find himself called upon over the coming weeks.

Fatigue is taking its toll. Amorim name-checked Diogo Dalot, who has played more minutes this season than any other United player, even more than goalkeeper Andre Onana, as one player suffering the effects of always making himself available.

Jaydan Kamason, 18, could be an alternative at full-back, having been included in the squad for the first time for last week’s first leg in Lyon and earning a spot among the substitutes again on Thursday. It would now not be a surprise to see any of those names make a debut between now and late May.

All this may sit uneasily with some Premier League rivals. United have a duty to the integrity of the competition that should not be diminished by how the chips have fallen on what could be a less eventful climax to the season than usual across the Premier League.

But Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sunday’s opponents, are now well clear of danger. Vitor Pereira’s side have even leapfrogged 17th-placed West Ham United, who will be this season’s penultimate visitors to Old Trafford, but even they have a comfortable 14-point cushion between themselves and the drop.

The trip to Brentford is little more than a lower mid-table meeting, but United’s other three engagements could have more riding on them.

Eighth-place Bournemouth are relatively adrift of the Champions League places, but Chelsea are right in the thick of it. United will travel to Stamford Bridge less than a week before a potential Europa League final.

By the time Aston Villa visit on the final day, United’s Europa League campaign will have ended in victory or defeat, although the quick turnaround before a post-season tour of Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok may necessitate rotation.

The other candidates for European places, including Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City, may not be too pleased if any points are won more easily than they necessarily needed to be.

Finishing the Premier League campaign as strongly as possible would be to United’s financial benefit anyway.

Every place was worth approximately £3.1million ($4.1m) last season. The difference between United’s realistic landing spots of 11th and 17th would be £18.6m on that measure, far more than the £8m in expected earnings from their post-season sojourn.

Prioritising one competition in favour of another is a dangerous game to play in any case when the stakes are so high. Is it that easy to turn performances off and on? Maybe it boils down to the motto of United’s academy: ‘Youth, courage, success’.

Amorim has the youth to turn to. It seems he is willing to accept the obvious risks of over-exposing young players and criticism from rivals. In his mind, Carrington’s production line could have a role in making this often miserable season an unlikely success.

(Top photos: Jaydan Kamason and Chido Obi; Getty Images)