Bruno Fernandes injury update: Man Utd will fear the worst after Aston Villa defeat

Aston Villa 2-1 Man Utd 

It was almost telepathic. The sight of Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes clutching his hamstring with a grimace on his face soon projected onto the faces of his team-mates, manager Rúben Amorim and just about every United supporter crammed inside the away end at Villa Park. As much as the Portugal international tried to continue and shake it off, there was a resignation about the fact that this is the type of injury you simply cannot run off, and Amorim sent on Lisandro Martinez at the break in place of his skipper.

Fernandes may be beyond his peak years at 31, but he remains a vital cog in this United team. When they need a moment of magic, they look to him instead of their €200 million triumvirate of Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. More often than not, they get what they want, as proved by his stunning free-kick in the 4-4 draw with Bournemouth. So losing their playmaker just four days before Christmas must have felt like receiving a lump of coal in your stocking for Amorim, who could be without Fernandes for a number of important games depending on the severity.

The fact Amorim name-checked him in his post-match interview following their 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa says a lot about how much importance he holds in his eyes: “It is soft tissue… so it is going to take a while. We will have to find a solution. Everyone who watched the game knows that we were the better team, but we were unlucky, especially after Bruno went off," Amorim said.

This season alone, the Portuguese midfielder has five goals and seven assists in 17 appearances. Only Mbeumo has more goals, and no other player has more than three assists. The game at Villa Park was the first time he hasn't played at least 85 minutes in a league match this season, which may explain why he suffered an injury but the cause is currently unknown.

United have improved from last season, but it's fair to say the bar wasn't set very low after finishing 15th in the Premier League - their worst finish since the league was founded in 1992. Amongst the sea of change at Old Trafford, Fernandes is the constant and, if he had taken the riches on offer from Saudi Arabia and Al-Hilal in the summer, few would've blamed him after a turbulent 12-month period in Manchester. In the end, he decided to stay and United are better for it.

Now, United will be anxiously waiting to discover the full extent of his injury. United face Newcastle on Boxing Day, with a Manchester derby against rivals Manchester City on January 17 and a trip to the Emirates to face Arsenal eight days later. The thought of preparing for those games without Fernandes is a frightening one, with the second half against Villa a potential preview of what's to come.