Manchester United face a selection crisis for their Boxing Day clash with Newcastle after Ruben Amorim confirmed that both Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo are likely to be unavailable due to soft tissue injuries.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has confirmed that the club will be without influential duo Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo for the upcoming Boxing Day fixture against Newcastle United.
Captain Fernandes was forced off at half-time during Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa after suffering a muscle problem.
Mainoo also missed the trip to Villa Park after picking up a training injury, leaving United’s midfield options severely depleted for the festive period.
The loss of Fernandes is particularly significant given his durable injury record and creative output. Amorim described the issue as “soft tissue” damage, suggesting the Portuguese playmaker could face a multi-game absence.
Discussing the captain’s prognosis, Amorim stated: “It’s a soft tissue, I think he’s going to lose some games, I don’t know for sure. Let’s see.” The manager expressed concern over the timing but praised the midfielder’s history of quick recoveries.
Meanwhile, 19-year-old Kobbie Mainoo remains sidelined after a calf injury sustained in the final training session before the Villa match.
Amorim offered a blunt assessment of his squad availability for the visit of Newcastle, confirming: “I think Kobbie might be out [against Newcastle], Bruno is out, so we will see, we are going to find solutions, no excuses.”
With several senior stars absent, the head coach may have to rely on academy graduates to fill the void.