Manchester United faces a major injury concern as their captain, Bruno Fernandes, was forced off at halftime during their Premier League match against Aston Villa on Sunday. Fernandes appeared to sustain a hamstring injury late in the first half at Villa Park. He continued playing until the halftime break but was visibly uncomfortable.
Manager Ruben Amorim replaced Fernandes with Lisandro Martinez at the start of the second half. Martinez partnered Manuel Ugarte in midfield, with Amorim surprisingly overlooking other options like Mason Mount and Joshua Zirkzee. Gary Neville, commentating on the game, noted Zirkzee's apparent displeasure at being overlooked.
Fernandes' injury occurred when he stopped abruptly on the ball, seemingly feeling discomfort in his hamstring area. Despite the injury, he played on for the remainder of the first half, prompting concerns about the severity of the issue. After being subbed off, Fernandes was seen walking uncomfortably along the sideline.
The potential absence of Fernandes is a significant blow to Manchester United, especially with a congested festive schedule ahead. Fernandes has been a key player for United, featuring in all of their matches this season. Before this game, he had only been substituted twice this season. In 16 Premier League appearances, the 31-year-old midfielder had scored five goals and provided seven assists, including five goal contributions in his last two games.
Adding to United's woes, Kobbie Mainoo was also ruled out of the game due to a calf injury picked up in training. Amorim acknowledged the unfortunate timing of Mainoo's injury, as he would have been a natural replacement for Fernandes. Manchester United is already missing Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo, and Noussair Mazraoui, who are away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Neville observed Fernandes gesturing to the bench after sustaining the injury, and Amorim responded by instructing Joshua Zirkzee to warm up. The extent of Fernandes' hamstring injury is yet to be determined, but a prolonged absence would further deplete Amorim's options. This situation might push INEOS, the club's ownership group, to seek reinforcements in the winter transfer window.
