Ruben Amorim has clarified speculation on why former Arsenal academy striker Chido Obi has been excluded from Manchester United’s Europa League squad.Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty ImagesFormer

Ruben Amorim has explained both Manchester United ’s decision to omit Chido Obi from their squad for the Europa League knockout stages and why he only has 18 players heading to Real Sociedad.

Manchester United will be without striker Chido Obi for tonight’s Europa League game against Real Sociedad. The teenager joined from Arsenal in the summer and has quickly progressed through the ranks to become part of Ruben Amorim’s first team squad.

Obi, 17, has made three senior appearances in the last few weeks for United having joined from Arsenal in October.

Chido Obi is among the players missing for Manchester United against Real Sociedad in the Europa League tonight. The 17-year-old striker has not travelled to Spain as one of a number of absentees from Ruben Amorim’s depleted squad for the last-16 first-leg tie at Reale Arena.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim explained that the presence of his other strikers and wanting to manage expectations were the reasons why Chido Obi was completely left out of the Red Devils' Europa League squad. United may be left feeling red-faced in hindsight, having omitted the 17-year-old from their squad list for the competition.

Striker Chido Obi will miss Manchester United's game against Real Sociedad because he's ineligible to play in the Europa League.

Ruben Amorim suggested Manchester United would have included striker Chido Obi in their Europa League squad in different circumstances. United added January signings Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu to their revised squad for the knockout stage, along with academy midfielder Jack Fletcher, but striker Obi was omitted.

Manchester United will not have striker Chido Obi in the squad for the rest of their Europa League campaign. With Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee managing only five Premier League goals between them this season, Ruben Amorim has been increasingly willing to offer 17-year-old Obi opportunities in the first-team.

Manchester United's 17-year-old Chido Obi is being discussed as one potential answer to the team's goalscoring woes - but the teenager is not in the squad for Thursday's Europa League last-16 first-leg against Real Sociedad.