Manchester United are facing the prospect of losing their talismanic Bruno Fernandes for an extended period of time through injury for the first time since his arrival in 2020.
Fernandes was suddenly sent off at the end of the first half in the 2-1 loss to Aston Villa and was substituted at half-time. United manager Ruben Amorim confirmed after the match that his captain had suffered a soft tissue injury and would miss “a few games”.
It was a painful blow for the Red Devils ahead of a busy period that could potentially define their season. Every statistic shows how valuable the 31-year-old is at Old Trafford.
That hardly matters now, as Amorim and his coaching staff will have to do their best to fill Fernandes’ hole in the center of the park. Sky Sports’ selected digital journalists took a look at what options the United manager has.
When does Mynu shine?
Most, if not all, Manchester United fans will think this is an opportunity for Koby Mainu to prove his worth to Ruben Amorim.
Despite scoring the winning goal in the 2024 FA Cup final and representing England at the European Championship that year, the midfielder has found himself unable to start in the Premier League this season.
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Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth and Kabe Solhekor discuss whether Bruno Fernandes’ injury will give Koby Mainu a chance to shine at Manchester United
There is growing speculation that the player could leave the Theater of Dreams on loan or permanently amid growing dissatisfaction with his playing time.
Unexpectedly, that door has now opened. With Fernandes absent, there is no chance that coach Amorim will release Mainuo in January. And the club captain has insisted that the academy graduate will be in contention for a place in the squad, so it seems only natural that he will finally be given the chance.
However, Amorim is likely to miss the match due to a calf injury and has admitted that he is likely to be left out of the squad for the match against Villa, so it will not be the match against Newcastle. He will be hoping that one of the other options doesn’t take the spot before he gets the chance.
Callum Bishop
Mount to drop deeper?
Mason Mount has started Manchester United’s last three Premier League games. This is his third season as a United player and only the second time he has achieved such results, having previously started four games in a row in the final stages of last season.
Brian Mbeumo’s absence leaves a spot open on the right-wing, but Mount has been given plenty of minutes in a deep role in the Premier League and could be a good foil alongside the less mobile Casemiro. He would appear to be a capable representative for Mr. Fernandes.
Of course, removing him from the frontline, especially with Mbeumo and Amad Diallo away, will only present new challenges for Amorim, and perhaps Mount’s on-pitch pressing will be seen as a more important asset by the United manager.
Adam Bate
Martinez is a midfield option
“In the first half they were the much better team. Surprisingly, in the second half they had Martinez in midfield, so I thought they were at least on par with (Aston) Villa.”
These were Gary Neville’s words when Lisandro Martinez was brought on at Villa Park on the break to replace the injured Fernandes.
Martinez is primarily a centre-back, but has shown that he can slot into midfield if needed. The Argentine is not new to the position. During his time at Ajax, he was sometimes used in the middle of the park.
In 22 games as a typical number six, he completed an average of nearly 66 passes per 90 minutes, with an accuracy of over 86 percent, ranking among the top final third passes in those games, and contributed defensively with solid numbers in tackles, interceptions and possessions won in the middle third.
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Martínez won’t be as creative as Fernandes, but his ability to recycle possession, read the game and maintain structure could provide a different type of balance in midfield. With games fast approaching, his versatility will give Amorim another internal option to consider in the United captain’s absence.
Sam Cohen
Ugarte’s chance of redemption
Manuel Ugarte previously worked under Ruben Amorim at Sporting CP.
With Casemiro suspended for the game against Aston Villa, it was left to Manuel Ugarte to slot in next to Fernandes, but he could hardly prove his eligibility.
Ugarte once again failed to impress. He was lackluster with and without the ball, failing to create any big chances or take a single shot on target, while also losing the most aerial duels of any player in the match.
Sunday’s loss means the Uruguayan has lost all seven of his starts. What’s more, eight defeats from nine games is the longest such streak for a Man United starter without a win in the Premier League for more than 20 years. From January 2004 to May 2005, Kleberson was the only player to redshirt and go on a long winless streak.
Manuel Ugarte did not impress against Aston Villa
Ugarte’s hefty £50.7m price tag has been frequently questioned during his time in Manchester, particularly given the recent success of his predecessor Scott McTominay. The Scotsman was allowed to leave United for £26 million, which was only half the amount paid to Ugarte.
Just this weekend, McTominay won his second Italian Supercoppa since moving to Italy, after being named Serie A Player of the Year last month.
He probably would have been the ideal solution. But the man who essentially replaced him on the team has done little to silence the doubters.
Noah Langford
Switch to midfield three
There was a clear difference in United’s approach against Aston Villa. In contrast to pressing with a front three and leading with a double pivot at the back, Amorim opted to lead defensively with two players up front and a triangle of three supporting the back including Fernandes, Mount and Ugarte.
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Jamie Carragher feels Manchester United haven’t changed their formation recently, but Ruben Amorim has called on his players to perform differently, citing Sunday’s defeat to Aston Villa as an example.
Assuming Casemiro returns to replace the latter, Amorim may end up relying on this more often. It is possible that Mount or Mainu could take Fernandes’ role, with the other remaining further up the pitch.
If Brian Mbeumo returns from AFCON before Fernandes returns, he will likely link up with Matheus Cunha up front and serve as an impact replacement for Benjamin Sesco as he continues to adapt to the Premier League.
Mount will still be given the chance to take up a key position in the team, given his increased influence within the team as of late.
Callum Bishop
If you’re good enough, you’re old enough
It would be a shame not to mention the fact that one of United’s young players could be a surprise addition to the squad in the absence of Fernandes.
Jack Fletcher, the son of a former Red Devil and now Darren’s lead coach for the club’s Under-18s, made his senior debut off the bench at Villa Park and is being touted as a potential future star. His twin brother Tyler also plays as a midfielder and could find himself an opportunity.
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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim defended his comments about some academy players last week, saying the club had certain rights.
Jim Thwaites, 18, has also won praise for his development, while Sekou Kone has previously trained with the first team. However, his hopes of sniffing may be thwarted by his recent fitness struggles.
Amorim hasn’t spoken out about the rights of some young people for a long time, but he may have to rely on them more than before.
Callum Bishop
