Man Utd's Kobbie Mainoo Injury Blow: Amorim's Update & Bruno Fernandes Worry

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has delivered a worrying update on the fitness of rising star Kobbie Mainoo, confirming the midfielder will miss the crucial Boxing Day clash with Newcastle United.

Double Injury Blow for the Red Devils

The news compounds a miserable day for the club, which saw them lose 2-1 to Aston Villa at Villa Park on Sunday. The defeat was marred further by an injury to captain Bruno Fernandes, who was forced off at half-time and replaced by Lisandro Martinez.

Mainoo was a surprise omission from the matchday squad, with Amorim revealing after the game that the England international suffered a calf injury in training. "Kobbie Mainoo is out," Amorim stated bluntly when asked about the player's availability for the Newcastle fixture on December 26.

Amorim's Timeline and Academy Focus

Providing a tentative prognosis, the United boss suggested Mainoo could be sidelined for a number of weeks. "He got something in his calf. We are going to assess but he is out of this game," Amorim told Sky Sports before the Villa match. "He is going to be fine in a few weeks, I think, I don't know."

With Fernandes also facing a spell out – Amorim described it as a "soft tissue" issue that "is going to be a while" – the manager hinted he may turn to the club's academy for solutions. He pointed to the debuts of Jack Fletcher and Shea Lacey as positive signs. "Every manager wants to bring players through from the academy," Amorim said, emphasising his commitment to developing young talent.

A Defiant Tone Despite Villa Defeat

Despite the disappointing result and growing injury list, Amorim insisted his team were the better side against an in-form Villa, who were inspired by a Morgan Rogers brace. "If you look at all of the game we controlled the game, we played well," he told the BBC. "I think the best team today lost."

The focus now shifts to a packed festive schedule, with United's next ten games presenting a major challenge: