Fernandes, Mount and Mainoo: Latest Man United injury news and expected return dates ahead of Burnley

Manchester United begin life after Ruben Amorim on Wednesday night, as they travel to Turf Moor to face relegation-threatened Burnley under the lights.

Interim manager Darren Fletcher will be in charge for the match, which comes just two days after Amorim was dismissed from his role at Old Trafford after 14 months as head coach.

The Portuguese launched an explosive interview in the direction of the club hierarchy at full-time following their 1-1 draw with Leeds at Elland Road on Sunday, suggesting disagreements behind the scenes, and was quickly relieved of his duties to leave the club searching for a new permanent boss.

Caretaker Fletcher will have to contend with the same injury issues faced by Amorim in recent weeks, with the Red Devils squad down to its bare bones and several academy players appearing on the bench – including the twin 18-year-old sons of Fletcher himself, Jack and Tyler.

Will Bruno Fernandes be available to face Burnley?

Man United have been without captain and talisman Bruno Fernandes since the 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa before Christmas, where the Portuguese appeared to pull up late in the first half and did not emerge for the second period.

The 31-year-old picked up a soft tissue hamstring injury and Amorim stated that he would be out for “a while”. Fernandes has now missed the last three matches, though the former Red Devils head coach suggested that he was returning towards fitness following the draw at Leeds and so a return against Burnley is not entirely out of the question.

Amorim told TNT Sports: “I expect to have some minutes for Bruno and Mason Mount maybe, so we will see. They are players who are ready to help us.”

The aforementioned Mount will also hope to play a part at Turf Moor, missing the last two matches after he was withdrawn with a knock at half-time during the victory over Newcastle. Like Fernandes, a return to action for Mount on Wednesday night would be a welcome boost to Fletcher in the midfield area and offer increased energy and creativity to the Scotsman’s attacking unit.

Speaking in his first press conference as interim, Fletcher confirmed: “Mason and Bruno have trained so they should be back in the squad, but they’ll be on managed minutes as they’ve obviously just returned to training. So, that’s good news.”

Kobbie Mainoo injury update and other absentees

Kobbie Mainoo has, rather unfortunately, picked up a calf injury in recent weeks, meaning he has not been able to profit from the absence of Fernandes to earn the minutes Amorim had previously suggested he may get as the captain’s understudy.

The 20-year-old picked up the issue in training before the Aston Villa clash and has, therefore, been out for the same time-frame as Fernandes. He remains linked with an Old Trafford exit, though the departure of Amorim may have given the England international a new future at his boyhood club.

Amorim suggested prior to the Leeds clash that he had a few players nearing a return to fitness, which may have included Mainoo: “We’re going to see tomorrow, we have one more training. I don’t think so, that anyone is going to recover, but we'll see.”

Two players who are unlikely to be back in contention to feature against Burnley are central-defensive duo Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire. Neither player has featured since November, and their absence has meant that Ayden Heaven was thrust into a regular starting role as part of Amorim’s back three. De Ligt has yet to return from a back problem while Harry Maguire has a hamstring issue, with an exact return date for either player not yet known.

United will also be without Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui, with the trio still away competing at AFCON.