Manchester United give injury update ahead of clash with Wolves
United have won just two of their past five games and, as ever, the fixture list won’t wait until the treatment room clears. The good news for Ruben Amorim is that the 1-0 win over Newcastle on Boxing Day bought him a bit of breathing space, with his next three opponents Wolves, Leeds United and Burnley all ranked 16th or lower. The not-so-good news is that several key players are either injured or unavailable, forcing United to rely on depth, youth and some improvisation.
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With Nussel Mazrawi, Amad Diallo and Brian Mbemo absent from the Africa Cup of Nations, attention naturally falls on the players United cannot afford to lose at the moment, namely Bruno Fernandes and Kobe Mainu. In different ways, both men were central to the way United played, with Fernandes the ruthless playmaker and chance creator and Mainu the clinical connector who made the midfield look less frantic.
Bruno Fernandes absent as United seek control
Fernandes has been sidelined since injuring his hamstring in the 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa before Christmas. He missed the Newcastle game, only his third game without injury since arriving at Old Trafford, and was a reminder of how often he has dragged United through difficult times.
Amorim tried to keep the timeline vague, but his comments underscored the seriousness of the problem. He said last week: “They (Fernandez and Mainu) are recovering. I don’t think it will take a lot of time. Kobe will be back sooner than Bruno. I don’t want to say (how long it will take Bruno). Of course, I have an idea, but let’s see.
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“It’s impossible to replace Bruno, but I said that to the team this morning.”
For Manchester United, this is key. Replacing Fernandez on the roster is easy, but replacing what he offers, pace, risk-taking and leadership is not. Possible return date: January 2026.
Kobe Minor’s recovery could ease midfield pressure
Mainu suffered a calf injury in training and missed games against Aston Villa and Newcastle, which is unfortunate timing for him considering he is likely to get more game time while Casemiro is suspended. He is yet to start in the Premier League this season and has been linked with a move in January, which feels like noise rather than logic when you consider how much United need midfield balance.
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Amorim expects him to return before Fernandez, repeating: “I don’t think it will take a lot of time. Kobe will be back sooner than Bruno.” Possible return dates: December 30 against Wolves (home) or January 4 against Leeds United (away).
Mason Mount, De Ligt and Maguire bolster defensive options
Mount was forced off against Newcastle after feeling something before the second half. Amorim explained: “He felt something at half-time. He wanted to continue and that’s a good thing too.
“He wants to get into the second half but if you’re not 100 per cent we can’t lose more players.” Possible return date: December 30 against Wolves (H).
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Defender Matthijs de Ligt has been sidelined for several weeks with a back injury and his last appearance came in the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on November 30. Amorim said: “I don’t know, sometimes you have an idea and then you have to watch day by day. I won’t say when he will come back.” Possible return dates: December 30 against Wolves (home) or January 4 against Leeds United (away).
Harry Maguire has been sidelined with a thigh problem since early November and Amorim added: “We are still working with them (Maguire and De Ligt) and they are not available for this game (Newcastle) but let’s see the next game (Wolves).” Possible return dates: December 30 against Wolves (home) or January 4 against Leeds United (away).
