“It’s a huge challenge and a chance to play against a team of this quality,” said Pavel Sulc, who scored in the Czech club’s 2-1 win over Dynamo Kiev. “At the same time, it’s a childhood dream come true.”

Pilsen have conceded just one goal in their last 12 European home games. Real Sociedad’s goal in a 2-1 defeat in the Czech Republic on Matchday 3 ended an 11-game clean sheet streak across the European continent.

Ruben Amorim was asked this question in his pre-match press conference and he replied: “As a coach, I can’t just focus on that. The way we can see the future, titles or something. Our goal is to win our Premier League. That is our goal.

“Of course you can do the math and understand that it is so important for a big club like us to be in the Champions League. You can see and look at the table that it might be easier from the Europa League.

“Maybe you can use that information for that context, but I’m not focused on that and our goal is to win the Premier League, not just promotion to the Champions League.

“Getting into the Champions League is an important point in winning the Premier League, that’s really clear. But for me the most important thing is to win and to see something different in the team in every game.”

The head coach also urged players and fans to trust the process and promised to change things like they did at Sporting Lisbon.

Erik ten Hag’s successor had a promising start to life in the hotseat but repeatedly struggled to live up to expectations as a draw at Ipswich was followed by wins against Bodo/Glimt and Everton.

Ruben Amorim refused to blame Andre Onana for some mistakes that led to goals against Nottingham Forest, claiming the team needed to help the goalkeeper.

He said: “Onana has saved us many times before, so if this happens to Onana or Altay (Bayindir) or Tom (Heaton), we have to find a way.”

“We have to turn around and score two goals to help our goalkeeper, like he saved us in Ipswich for example. “We have to keep going. We are losing as a team, we need to improve in all aspects of the game.”

The Portuguese coach said it would take time to correct all of United’s mistakes. After the defeat to Forest he said: “We already knew (it was going to be tough). It will be a long road but we want to win because this is a huge club.

“You feel it when you lose a game, it’s really hard for everyone. I can understand that. I can feel it in the stadium after the first goal.

“We understand the context but we have to keep working in the same way and doing the same things.” The same words I have here with Everton are what I have today. Stay focused on performance.

“We need to improve in many aspects of the game and continue to do the same in training tomorrow.”

“It’s annoying to concede three goals at home against Forest,” Man Utd striker Rasmus Hojlund said after the defeat. “You can say there were a few irritating goals.” On the other hand, we all have to do better. It’s not just individuals. We all need to do better, and yes, today could have been much, much better.

“It’s a bit annoying. They score a goal very early in the second half and also very early in the first half, which weakens the momentum and also the confidence a little.

“I think we played well in the first half after scoring the first goal, but it hurts the game a little bit that they score the two goals (after half-time).

“But on the other hand, we are playing at home and I think we still have 35 minutes left, so of course we have to do more and see if we could have at least gotten a point.”

Rio Ferdinand has questioned Manchester United’s decision to part ways with sporting director Dan Ashworth after just five months and urged the club’s co-owners Ineos to be just as “brutal” with their underperforming squad.

Ashworth left the club at the weekend, with his exit seen as part of a wider restructure at Old Trafford that has seen around 250 staff made redundant since the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

“There are a lot of changes. But I like it and what I know about this manager is that he is very clear to all of us,” explained Tyrell Malacia during his pre-match press conference. “That’s the most important thing, we know what we have to do in the game.”

Tyrell Malacia feels he is improving game-by-game following his return from injury and hopes to impress Ruben Amorim by understanding the manager’s system.

Ahead of today’s game, he said: “I have to train every day and improve week by week, obviously playing games. “I could already see a difference between my first game against Bodo/Glimt and Arsenal. Otherwise we are improving as a team and trying to adapt to the manager’s style of play. I’m happy.”