Amorim upbeat over Fernandes but won't specify a return date

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is confident Bruno Fernandes will avoid a lengthy lay-off but refused to say Wednesday when his captain will return.

The Portugal international suffered a soft tissue injury in Sunday's 2-1 loss at Aston Villa, after which Amorim said he feared Fernandes would be out for "a while".

But speaking ahead of Friday's game against Newcastle, Amorim took a more optimistic view about the extent of Fernandes's injury and of the calf problem sustained by Kobbie Mainoo who missed the Villa game.

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"Not for this game," he said on the prospect of either being available to face the Magpies.

“They are recovering. I don’t think that is going to take a lot of time. I think Kobbie will return faster than Bruno.”

Amorim, asked for a timescale on Fernandes's absence, replied: "I don't want to say, I have an idea but let’s see."