How to replace Bruno Fernandes? This is why Man United are in a mess of their own making

“Strange,” said Ruben Amorim . And if there have been plenty of odd developments at Manchester United in recent years, this may have been the weirdest. Bruno Fernandes was injured and this just does not happen. Almost six years since his arrival, the United captain has missed exactly two games with injury. That number is set to rise, possibly dramatically.

Fernandes will be out for a while , in Amorim’s estimation. United will be shorn of the man who was captain, ever-present, set-piece specialist, penalty taker, invariably top of the assist charts, sometimes the top scorer and frequently the greatest source of salvation when they were losing. Apart from that, though, what does Bruno Fernandes do for Manchester United?

open image in gallery

Fernandes was forced off at half-time and is set for his longest spell on the sidelines since joining the club in 2020 (Manchester United via Getty Imag)

The chances are that it never occurred to the club that Fernandes might get injured. The composition of the midfield in their squad suggested as much. They never replaced Christian Eriksen when he left. They spent £230m on players in the summer, none of them midfielders. They entered the season with only four senior specialist central midfielders.

Of those, Amorim clearly does not trust Kobbie Mainoo , who is still yet to start a league game this season; his own ill-timed calf injury could deny him the chance to replace Fernandes against Newcastle on Boxing Day. Then there is Manuel Ugarte , who may be the worst passer of a ball of any United central midfielder in decades.

Even beyond Fernandes, United have an acute reliance on Casemiro : he will turn 34 in two months, cannot complete 90 minutes even when they only play once a week and has a habit of getting suspended. They concede goals far more often when he is not on the pitch and have not won without him starting since March. This, it is safe to say, is not a failsafe strategy.

So if Fernandes has spent years making a valiant attempt to camouflage United’s failings and compensate for their deficiencies, they could be very apparent in the next few weeks.

Amorim made the right noises. United will not panic buy in January , he said. “What we cannot do is to reach January and try to do everything in urgency and make mistakes and then [it’s] ‘here we go again’ with a lot of mistakes,” he explained, arguing it was up to him to find the answers within; at least Casemiro will be eligible again for the Newcastle game and, in any case, they have two matches before the window opens.

Yet there was something horribly damning about finishing the defeat to Aston Villa with a midfield double act of defender Lisandro Martinez and 18-year-old Jack Fletcher; it was as if Sir Alex Ferguson had paired Gary Pallister with Paddy Crerand’s son in the heart of the team. Indeed, Ferguson did once try Rafael da Silva and Ji-sung Park there; United duly lost at Old Trafford to Steve Kean’s Blackburn.

open image in gallery

Lisandro Martinez attempts to challenge Morgan Rogers during United’s 2-1 defeat at Villa Park (Nick Potts/PA Wire)

If Martinez and Fletcher were scarcely the new Roy Keane and Paul Scholes, that is scarcely their fault. The teenager brought energy. The Argentinian was at least better in possession than Ugarte. But it was an indication of a dynamic at Old Trafford: how can United have spent so much and yet seem to have so few players?

Some £900m has been paid in fees since Erik ten Hag’s arrival but the only central midfielders bought are Ugarte and Casemiro . Meanwhile, Scott McTominay was sold to Napoli and become a Ballon d’Or nominee. Marcel Sabitzer, who United loaned but did not buy in 2023, went on to be named in the team of the Champions League the following year.

More than ever, United’s recruitment – or lack of it – in midfield looks negligent. There was interest in Carlos Baleba last summer, but while Brighton were reluctant to sell, United prioritised the forward line. It is not revisionist thinking to say that, instead of spending £200m on three attackers, they could have only bought two and instead signed a midfielder; especially if it entailed using Fernandes as a No 10, arguably his best role.

Now many a United supporter’s wishlist could contain Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton or both. Neither would come cheap, and not merely because of United’s enduring difficulties in negotiating. Neither, in all probability, would come in January at all, and not merely because, after their summer spend, United maybe limited in what they can do until the next financial year.

open image in gallery

Both Anderson and Wharton could be long-term United targets and the club will not panic buy if they cannot move for them in January (Getty Images)

It is clear an overhaul is required: with Casemiro ageing and out of contract, with Fernandes’ recent interview in Portuguese reviving doubts about his future .

Yet the situation in the immediacy reflects badly on United’s planning. Amorim made the right noises, talking of offering “no excuses”. Whether or not long-term gain comes, there could be short-term pain. “If we have to suffer, the club comes first,” he said. A manager whose tactics can often be too inflexible may have to adapt, compromise and improvise. But the danger is, that without Fernandes, United find themselves in a midfield mess of their own making.