Bruno Fernandes Faces Multi-Match Layoff as Rúben Amorim Confirms Injury Blow for Manchester United

Rúben Amorim delivered a straight‑up, sport‑first update on Bruno Fernandes after Manchester United’s 2‑1 loss at Aston Villa — and it’s not the kind of news Red Devils fans wanted to hear.

Fernandes, United’s captain and engine in midfield, had to be taken off at half‑time after pulling up with a hamstring‑related soft‑tissue problem, and Amorim made it clear that it will likely keep the Portugal international out for multiple games. 

Amorim didn’t sugarcoat it. When asked about Fernandes’s condition in his post‑match interview, he confirmed that United are dealing with soft‑tissue damage, which is notoriously slower to heal than a minor knock, and bluntly said “it’s going to take a while.” The boss stressed that the injury isn’t a quick fix and that they’ll need further assessments, but on first impressions, it looks like a multi‑match absence — a major blow with the hectic festive Premier League schedule. 

It was a brutal twist for United in mid‑December. Fernandes had been carrying the team’s creativity and leadership through a turbulent season, and to see him limping off at Villa Park was a real gut‑punch. The skipper hobbled late in the first half, tried to play through it to at least reach the break, but Amorim ultimately decided the risk wasn’t worth it and brought on Lisandro Martínez. Fernandes then watched the second half from the bench — unlikely to feature in the immediate run of fixtures. 

Amorim’s tone in his remarks was both realistic and matter‑of‑fact. He acknowledged that losing Fernandes is a significant setback — one that could affect United’s push for top‑four spots — but also insisted the squad must cope and adapt. “We have to prepare all the guys that we have,” he said, highlighting how academy players like Shea Lacey and Jack Fletcher got minutes as part of the response to the mounting injury list. 

His message was basically: no excuses, keep competing. Amorim described the first half at Villa as “really strange” because United sounded the stronger team overall, even though the scoreline didn’t reflect it, and said they were unlucky not to get anything from the game. But with Bruno out, United must now find goals and rhythm without their captain for a spell — and that’s a huge tactical challenge for Amorim. 

This injury comes at a tough time. United are already dealing with other absences, including academy outfielder Kobbie Mainoo’s calf issue, which meant he wasn’t even available to step in for Bruno at Villa Park. The squad is stretched, and Amorim will have to shuffle his midfield plans without one of his most influential players.