Bruno Fernandes expected to miss Boxing Day clash with an injury following Man United defeat

Bruno Fernandes picked up a hamstring injury during the match against Aston Villa and was forced to leave the pitch shortly after the second half began. As he left the stadium, Bruno was seen walking slowly, raising concerns among fans and teammates. At the time, the length of his absence had not been confirmed.

Ruben Amorim addressed the captain’s injury after the match: “I don’t know what to say about things you can’t control,” he said. “It’s a soft tissue injury. I think he’s going to miss some games, but I don’t know for sure. He’s a guy who is always fit, so he might recover quite well.”

Amorim also confirmed that Bruno will miss the Boxing Day match against Newcastle. This will be the first time the captain has been sidelined since the 2023/24 season. His absence leaves Man United’s midfield with only two fully fit options, Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte, for the upcoming matches. Before the Villa game, United had already revealed that Kobbie Mainoo picked up a minor injury and missed the match.

If Mainoo cannot return in time to face Newcastle, United are likely to rely on Casemiro and Ugarte in midfield. While both are strong defensively, controlling the tempo of the game is not their biggest strength. There is also a possibility that Lisandro Martínez could be used in midfield again, as Amorim did during the Villa match. The manager previously stated that he would only deploy the Argentine in midfield as an “emergency” option, but he may be forced to repeat it if the midfield struggles to connect.

Ahead of the Newcastle match, United could be without up to seven players: centre-backs Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire, AFCON-bound players Bryan Mbeumo, Noussair Mazraoui and Amad Diallo, as well as Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo. The AFCON players are expected to miss at least six matches, likely returning after the Man City game on 17 January. De Ligt and Maguire are expected to be back for United’s final match of the year against Wolves.