Jose Mourinho confirms Sergio Romero and not David De Gea will start Manchester United's Europa League final

The Argentine has played in 11 of United's 14 games in the competition

De Gea will sit on the bench despite being first choice (Getty)

Jose Mourinho will leave David De Gea on the bench and keep faith with his number two goalkeeper Sergio Romero for the Europa League final with Ajax.

United have just 12 days to prepare for the final in Stockholm on 24^th May after scraping through their semi-final second-leg with Celta Vigo at Old Trafford thanks only to a John Guidetti horror-miss with the final kick – or rather, miskick – of the game.

Romero has played 11 of the 14 Europa League games this season but given it is the biggest game of Mourinho’s short United career, there were naturally suggestions that he could revert to playing his first choice, especially with Champions League football on the line.

However, Mourinho insisted he didn’t have a selection dilemma for the final and insisted he would keep faith with the Argentine, who has barely put a foot wrong in the competition.

"No dilemma, no dilemma," Mourinho said.

"They are two fantastic goalkeepers. I never saw in all my career two goalkeepers to be so friendly, because it is a position where you always have a little bit of rivalry, especially if you are both the same kind of level.

"We are speaking about the Argentina national goalkeeper and the Spain national goalkeeper.

"They are friends and they support each other all the time. I never saw a bad face, I always saw them supporting each other.

"I think it is fair that Sergio is going to play the final and David accepts.

"He accepts that especially because 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.


 Romero has been impressive in the Europa League 
 (Getty Images)

"But if everything goes normal and we have no problems, Sergio plays the final."

United will be without Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Marcos Rojo, Ashley Young, Luke Shaw and Tim Fosu-Mensah for the Europa League final through injury, while Eric Bailly is suspended following his moment of madness on Thursday.

So impressive since arriving from Villarreal last summer, the 23-year-old was shown a straight red card for raising his hands during a heated end to the 1-1 draw with Celta.

"I don't know the incident, I didn't see," Mourinho said. "I don't want to see now, maybe Friday.

"But even if it was unfair, I don't know, but even if it was unfair I don't think UEFA rules will allow any chance of an appeal, so I don't think he plays the final.

"So if he doesn't play the final, he has to play the remaining matches in the Premier League and give rest to some of the others."

Additional reporting by PA.