THE SECRET TACTICAL PLAN RUBEN AMORIM WILL USE TO REPLACE BRUNO FERNANDES
Ruben Amorim rules out Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo for the Newcastle clash as injury problems deepen today.
Ahead of Manchester United's Boxing Day home game against Newcastle, boss Ruben Amorim gave updates on Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo's fitness. United wants to recover from their 2-1 loss to Aston Villa and improve their chances of finishing in the top four. They've only gotten one point from their last two games.
Fernandes Left the Villa Game Early
Last weekend, Aston Villa beat United with two great goals from Morgan Rogers. Now, United is three points behind Chelsea, who are in fourth place. This week, Amorim's team has a chance to tie with Chelsea before Chelsea plays Aston Villa on Saturday night.
The loss at Villa Park was even worse because captain Fernandes had to be subbed out at halftime with a possible hamstring issue. He'll probably be out until the New Year. This is tough for Amorim, since Fernandes has been key in United's midfield this season.
Before Friday's game, Amorim updated everyone on Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo, who didn't play against Villa because of an injury.
Amorim on Four Players' Fitness
At the pre-Newcastle press conference, Amorim said about Fernandes and Mainoo, "They won’t play this game; they're still getting better." I think Kobbie will be back sooner than Bruno. I have an idea when, but we'll see. We have other players, and we might need to try some different strategies.”
Amorim also said that centre-backs Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt would miss the Newcastle game due to hamstring and back problems. We're still working with them. "They can't play this one, but we'll see about the next game," he said.
On a brighter note, Amorim praised academy players Jack Fletcher and Shea Lacey, who both made their debuts as subs against Villa. Jack Fletcher was great, and that’s why we need to give chances to guys like him, Amorim said.
About Fletcher and Lacey's debuts, Amorim added, "They're normal, good kids." They’ve been great this week. They haven't changed just because they played for Manchester United.
They’re focused, getting ready for the game, and they think they can play. That’s good. They’re the same as they’ve been for the past few weeks.
'No Replacing Bruno'
Fernandes' absence is a blow, and he's hoping to be back for the Manchester derby next month. Amorim said it's 'impossible' to replace him: It is impossible to replace Bruno. This morning, I told the team that this is a time for others to step up.
Not just with creating plays, but also with set pieces. He organises the team, and this is a chance for everyone to understand we can't rely on one player for everything.
We sometimes count on Bruno for organising and creating. We’ve lost Bruno in set pieces, so this is a big deal, but it’s a chance for players to show the leadership we need.”
About what the team loses without Fernandes, Amorim added, "Everything." He knows every position. He pays attention to everything. During set pieces or subs, he tells everyone where to be.
But this is great for guys like Licha, Luke Shaw, and others. We need more leaders to step up because this can happen to Bruno. It’s not common, but it can, so this is a big chance for the other guys.”
Several Absences for United
United will be missing several key players against Newcastle. Besides Fernandes, Mainoo, Maguire, and De Ligt, Mbeumo, Amad, and Noussair Mazraoui are playing for Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Morocco, respectively, in the Africa Cup of Nations.
But Casemiro is back after missing the Villa game due to suspension.
INSIDE SENNE LAMMENS’ BLUEPRINT FOR MAN UNITED’S MASSIVE 2026 SUMMER TRANSFER OVERHAUL
"We want to be stronger." Read Senne Lammens' honest assessment of Manchester United’s squad needs after the Sunderland draw.
Senne Lammens isn’t hiding from the truth; he knows Manchester United have to beef up their squad this summer if they want to handle both the Premier League and Champions League next season.
Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Sunderland showed just how thin United are right now. Casemiro, Benjamin Sesko, and Manuel Ugarte all sat out with injuries, and you could feel their absence on the pitch.
It’s been a weird season for United. They played just 40 games, the fewest in over a century, because they were eliminated from Europe and both domestic cups so early. But now they’re back in the Champions League, and Lammens realises the team has to get deeper if they want to compete seriously.
“Yeah, definitely. This league’s tough, and next year’s schedule is going to be insane,” the goalkeeper said. “You want to have enough reliable players, people who can step up whenever they’re needed.”
Lammens made it clear that United must invest in new signings during the summer window. He’s not saying the squad lacks quality now, but he knows things will get tougher. “Honestly, I think we’ve got a lot of talent this year,” he said. “But next season’s going to ask a lot more from us, and you need to be ready for injuries and everything that can come with a busy year like today, when we missed a few regular starters. Being able to call on others to jump in really matters.”
He wants a strong, well-rounded group ready for the challenges ahead. “We’re already building towards that, but we want to be even stronger for next season.”
Some people wondered if United relaxed after they clinched their Champions League spot by beating Liverpool last weekend. Lammens brushed that idea off. He said head coach Michael Carrick was all over them, reminding everyone to finish the season on a high.
“I don’t think so, not for me at least,” Lammens said. “The manager made it clear that these last games are important. We want as many points as we can get and to finish as high as possible. How you end the season carries over. It’s your launchpad for next year. We want to keep the momentum going.”
He didn’t want to hear any excuses. “Honestly, if we’d played at Sunderland a few weeks ago before securing the Champions League, it still would’ve been tough. That wasn’t in our minds.”
Carrick echoed those thoughts after the match. He sounded almost annoyed when asked if the players were mentally on holiday already.
“I get almost offended by that,” he said. “The way the players prepared and battled out there, it’s clear they’re still focused. If we’d been off it, we’d have lost. Sunderland pushed us hard at times.”
He thinks the pride and responsibility of playing for Manchester United is all the motivation the team needs. “That’s what keeps us sharp, knowing we represent something big. That doesn’t guarantee we’ll always play brilliantly, but it’s enough to fight through tough days.”
MANCHESTER UNITED HOLD ADVANCED NEGOTIATIONS FOR RECORD-BREAKING £18M BETWAY SPONSORSHIP
Despite the upcoming front-of-shirt gambling ban, explore how Man United’s Betway deal targets training apparel at Carrington.
Manchester United are currently discussing a potential sponsorship deal with Betway, reportedly worth up to £18 million. This comes despite the Premier League having banned betting companies from featuring as main shirt sponsors starting from the 2026-27 season.
Back in 2023, Premier League clubs collectively agreed to remove gambling logos from the front of their shirts. From that point, no top-flight team will carry betting advertisements on their kits during matches. But this new deal would see Betway appear on United’s training gear, not their matchday shirts.
According to reports from the MEN, talks have progressed significantly. If an agreement were reached, the Betway logo would be quite visible on the training apparel worn by players at Carrington, United’s training ground. That means fans would regularly see the branding in video footage and photos taken during training sessions.
Previously, United’s training kits featured Tezos, a blockchain company, until that partnership ended in June 2025. Betway has its own history with English football; they’ve been shirt sponsors for West Ham United and maintain global gambling partnerships with several Premier League clubs, including Manchester City, Arsenal, and Brighton & Hove Albion.
The financial terms on the table for this Betway deal would be substantially close to £18 million, putting it on a similar scale to Bayern Munich’s partnership with Allianz, which includes stadium naming rights. This is quite a significant figure for a single training kit sponsor.
This season, United have gone without a sponsor on their training gear. After the Tezos contract expired, the club chose not to rush into a new agreement. They wanted to carefully evaluate potential partners, both from a financial standpoint and in terms of brand alignment.
There were even conversations with the African division of the Six Rivers Foundation, a conservation project in which United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has invested. However, those discussions didn’t lead to a deal.
When majority owners Joel and Avram Glazer visited Carrington earlier this year, commercial revenue and sponsorship opportunities were among the key topics addressed. The club has also brought in marketing agency Two Circles, where ex-United sales manager Leo Thompson works, to help find a new sleeve sponsor, given that the current contract with DXC ends this summer.
Securing Champions League qualification for next season under Michael Carrick’s leadership has somewhat eased the process. United guaranteed their place in Europe’s top competition after a 3-2 victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford, which should make the club more attractive to potential commercial partners.
