Europa League blow for Obi

RUBEN AMORIM has been handed a fresh setback with 17-year-old academy striker Chido Obi ineligible to face Real Sociedad on Thursday. Manchester United’s squad is threadbare and United boss Amorim has come to rely on the teenager to provide an attacking option off the bench, which had two empty spots against Fulham on Sunday, such is the mounting injury crisis at Old Trafford.

But he will play no part in United’s Europa League last-16 fixture against Sociedad, or the rest of the competition should United progress, due to not being registered in United’s squad. European squads are split between an A List and a B List, neither of which feature Obi. United submitted their initial Europa League squad back in September, before Obi’s move from Arsenal had been officially ratified. A revised A List was submitted to UEFA last month with Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven added. Obi does not qualify for the B List with UEFA rules stating only ‘club-trained players born on or after January 1, 2003, who have been with their employers for an uninterrupted period of a minimum of two years, can be considered for selection’.