Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and two other key players are to miss the match against Newcastle due to injury
Manchester United are bracing themselves for a difficult spell after confirmation that captain Bruno Fernandes has suffered a hamstring injury. The influential midfielder, rarely sidelined during his time at Old Trafford, was forced off at the interval during the defeat to Aston Villa and is now set to be unavailable for a run of important matches.
Although the club are yet to give a precise recovery date, indications suggest Fernandes is pushing to be fit in time for the Manchester derby against Manchester City on January 17. If that target is met, it would mean the Portuguese playmaker misses the rest of United’s Premier League commitments in 2025 and the opening fixtures of 2026, including league clashes with Newcastle, Wolves, Leeds and Burnley, as well as an FA Cup encounter with Brighton.
The possibility of having Fernandes back for such a crucial showdown offers some encouragement, but his absence in the weeks leading up to it is a major setback for Ruben Amorim. United will be hoping to regroup and show a marked improvement when they face City again, having been comprehensively beaten 3-0 in the reverse fixture at the Etihad Stadium earlier in the season.
