Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez will return to the Manchester United starting lineup when they welcome Newcastle United to Old Trafford on Friday.
Manchester United will be desperate to get back to winning ways when they host Newcastle United at Old Trafford on Friday night. Ruben Amorim has received a mixed bag of updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture.
Bruno Fernandes is the latest absentee after sustaining a hamstring injury against Aston Villa. The Manchester United captain will be unavailable for at least a month, and he has joined Matthijs de Ligt (lower back), Harry Maguire (hamstring), and Kobbie Mainoo (knock) in the treatment room.
Additionally, Noussair Mazraoui, Amad Diallo, and Bryan Mbeumo remain unavailable due to their participation at the Africa Cup of Nations. However, Casemiro is available after serving a suspension in the game against Aston Villa. Meanwhile, during his pre-match press conference, Amorim provided fitness updates on Bruno Fernandes, Mainoo, Maguire, and de Ligt.
The Manchester United manager said, “No, not for this game [Bruno Fernandes and Mainoo returning]. They are recovering. I don’t think that it is going to take a lot of time. Kobbie is going to return faster than Bruno. I don’t want to say [how long Bruno will be out]. I have an idea of course, but let’s see. We are still working with them [Maguire and de Ligt], they are not available for this one. Let’s see for the next one.”
Meanwhile, during his presser, Amorim also discussed how Manchester United will cope in Bruno Fernandes’s absence in the foreseeable future. The Manchester United boss said, “We have other players. We need maybe [to] try to see different ways of playing.”
“I think Jack Fletcher did a very good job and that’s why when we have this opportunity, we need to give space to guys like Jack and the other ones. So, we’ll find solutions to play.”
Senne Lammens is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Manchester United lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation in front of him against Newcastle United on Friday. The central defensive unit will feature Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven, and Luke Shaw. Meanwhile, Diogo Dalot and Patrick Dorgu will continue as the two wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Lisandro Martinez may line up alongside Casemiro in the central areas after an impressive performance against Aston Villa. Finally, Benjamin Sesko will lead the line for the home side against Newcastle United, with Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount providing the supporting cast. So, Manuel Ugarte and Joshua Zirkzee will be backup options on the bench.
Predicted Manchester United XI: Lammens; Yoro, Heaven, Shaw; Dalot, Casemiro, Martinez, Dorgu; Mount, Cunha; Sesko
