Bruno Fernandes is out with a rare injury, but the Manchester United captain is already itching to return and has sent a request to Ruben Amorim as the team deals with multiple absentees.
Ruben Amorim has been without Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes for several weeks due to a hamstring injury, but the Portuguese star is already keen to return to training.
The playmaker has been sidelined due to a minor injury, having missed fewer than 10 games in five years at Manchester, but is already itching to return. United need to carefully consider Fernandes’ fitness if they want to avoid any long-term problems.
However, given Fernandes’ competitive nature, he has already asked his head coach if he can take part in training, although Amorim admits there is no chance of him playing in the short term.
He said: “Bruno has already said he needs to train, but we don’t know. There’s no chance he’ll play against Wolves, no chance. Koby Mainu is also going to start on the (training) pitch, so we’ll see. Matthijs is struggling a bit. So is Harry.”
Fernandes was watching United beat Newcastle at Old Trafford on Boxing Day. The 1-0 win ended a six-game winless run in the Premier League in which the 31-year-old did not play, underscoring his importance and influence.
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Lisandro Martínez was appointed captain in Fernandes’ absence, but Amorim detailed how his influence extends beyond the pitch, praising the way he continued to interact with his team-mates during the injury.
“He’s always talking, that’s why he’s captain,” added the United head coach. “He’s got some bad things, like the way he moves his arms, but he’s got a lot of good things, too. Every time he practices, every time he recovers, he’s watching the other guys training that day. So there’s a lot of things you don’t see that he sees. He’s always been a great leader.”
“He’s a guy who still watches training after treatment. He goes there. I don’t know if he wants my job, but he’s a leader. He’s a leader.”
When United face Wolves, they won’t be able to do without Fernandes. Mason Mount faces a second-half fitness test while centre-backs Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire are sidelined. Koby Mainu will not fit in while Nousser Mazrawi, Amad and Brian Mbeumo are away for the African Cup of Nations.
Amorim said his side have lost just one of their last seven games, moving them into sixth place and three points outside the top four. Their next three games will be against Wolves, Leeds and Burnley, who are in the bottom five of the Premier League.
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