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Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim admits it will be "impossible" to replace Bruno Fernandes as the captain faces up to a month on the sidelines.
Fernandes suffered a hamstring injury during United's 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday and will miss Friday's clash with Newcastle. Amorim confirmed the setback but avoided giving a precise recovery timeline, saying only that it "won't take a lot of time."
Privately, sources believe the 31-year-old could return for the Manchester derby against City on January 17, meaning he may miss five matches. The absence comes at a difficult moment for United, with attackers Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo away at the Africa Cup of Nations and Kobbie Mainoo , Fernandes' natural replacement , also sidelined with a calf injury.
"It is impossible to replace Bruno," Amorim told reporters. "I said that to the team this morning. We need to take the positive from this, if there is one , and that is everyone must step up."
Fernandes has been remarkably durable since joining United from Sporting in January 2020, missing only two games through injury and one through illness in six years. Even if his current layoff is shorter than initial fears of six weeks, it will still be his longest absence for the club.
Amorim highlighted Fernandes' influence beyond creativity. "At every set-piece he organizes the team. He understands every position and pays attention to every detail. When there's a substitution, he's the one telling others where they should be."
With Fernandes out, Diogo Dalot wore the captain's armband at Villa Park. Amorim also named Lisandro Martínez and Luke Shaw as senior figures who could provide leadership. Unfortunately for Mainoo, his injury denies him the chance to step into Fernandes' role, though Amorim expects him to return first.
United's injury list remains lengthy, with Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, and Noussair Mazraoui also unavailable. Amorim will be without seven senior players against Newcastle, though Casemiro returns from suspension. Academy prospects Jack Fletcher and Shea Lacey, who debuted against Villa, are likely to feature again.
Despite the challenges, Amorim remains optimistic. "I believe in this team. If we stay focused, we can win any game," he said.
