Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has firmly ruled out any panic-driven activity in the upcoming January transfer window, despite seeing captain Bruno Fernandes added to a concerning injury list during a defeat at Aston Villa.
Injury crisis deepens for United
The Portuguese midfielder was forced off at half-time during the clash at Villa Park after clutching his left calf following a sixth-minute challenge from Boubacar Kamara. Amorim confirmed he expects Fernandes to miss the Boxing Day fixture against Newcastle United at Old Trafford and fears the skipper could be sidelined "for a while."
Fernandes was replaced by centre-back Lisandro Martínez, who slotted into an unfamiliar midfield role alongside Manuel Ugarte. This makeshift solution was necessary with young star Kobbie Mainoo also absent due to a calf problem sustained in training on Saturday.
"We cannot make mistakes" - Amorim's transfer stance
Facing a mounting injury crisis, Amorim was adamant that the club must stick to its long-term strategy rather than seek quick fixes in the market. He stated he would not pressure technical director Jason Wilcox and chief executive Omar Berrada for emergency signings.
"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," Amorim declared. "I’m not going to get [together] with Jason and Omar and say: ‘We need a lot of players.’ Because we have a plan."
He emphasised a need for internal solutions, adding: "If we have to suffer, the club comes first. Of course, we are in a moment where we need points but we need to find solutions and we are going to continue with our plan."
Emery's half-time message sparks Villa winner
On the opposing touchline, a delighted Unai Emery revealed he had challenged match-winner Morgan Rogers at half-time before the forward scored the decisive second goal in Villa's 2-1 victory. Rogers' magnificent opener was cancelled out by Matheus Cunha in first-half stoppage time.
"I was not happy with how Morgan was performing in the first half, because we needed more," the Aston Villa manager admitted. "He scored the second goal because he was aggressive for the second goal. He is a protagonist, a fighter."
The result at a vibrant Villa Park further fuels Aston Villa's unlikely Premier League title charge, while leaving Manchester United to ponder their next move amidst a squad depleted by injury.
