After being substituted during Manchester United’s FA Cup semi-final triumph over Brighton, Bruno Fernandes was seen wearing a protective boot and using crutches. Fernandes was replaced by Wout Weghorst after 101 minutes at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. In the closing stages of the tense contest, he appeared frustrated to be withdrawn and was spotted yelling orders at his team-mates on the touchline.
United went on to win the semifinals on penalties, 7-6, but the victory appears to have come at a cost. Bruno Fernandes appeared to twist his right ankle on the pitch, and an Instagram post from his partner Ana Pinho depicts a concerning scene for Manchester United fans.
Bruno Fernandes doubt for United’s huge Tottenham clash
Bruno Fernandes played his 50th game of the season on the weekend when he led United against Brighton. He has been a near-constant for Erik ten Hag’s side, frequently captaining in the absence of Harry Maguire. The Portuguese playmaker suffered an ankle injury in the first half, but fought until the 101st minute, before he was substituted by Wout Weghorst.
Erik ten Hag pondered taking the attacking midfielder off both during the incident and at halftime, according to ESPN. But Fernandes was adamant about staying. The 28-year-old was portrayed resting on the sofa, holding a drink and raising his right foot on cushions in a snap shared by his partner. The case of a protective boot and crutches lie in the foreground, as the midfielder’s partner captioned the picture “recharging”.
United return to Premier League action on Thursday, when they travel to Tottenham Hotspur. There has been no official update on Bruno Fernandes, but the photo suggests he is a significant doubt for that game and possibly more to follow. Ten Hag’s team will then face Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday, followed by games against Brighton and West Ham the following week. The FA Cup final vs Manchester City is set to take place on June 3.
Bruno Fernandes has played more minutes than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues this season, and United struggled when their talisman was suspended against a rampant Sevilla side in the Europa League. He was extremely unlucky to receive a yellow card in the first leg for an unintentional handball.
Fernandes typically controls the play for United, displaying relentless intensity, and frequently producing the killer ball – all of which were lacking in the Red Devils’ 3-0 defeat in Spain in the second leg. The former Sporting CP player is United’s best and most valuable player, as evidenced by his 23 goals contributions in 50 games this season. He is irreplaceable, and his entire worth is shown only when he is absent.
United have already suffered a slew of injuries. With Maguire suspended and Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane ill, Victor Lindelof partnered Luke Shaw in centre defence at Wembley. The Red Devils currently sit fourth in the Premier League, six points clear of Tottenham with two games remaining. They are level on points with Newcastle, who have played one more game after a dominating 6-1 win over Tottenham on the weekend.