Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes missed a club game for the first time in his professional career due to injury during Manchester United's 4-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Monday.
Fernandes' impressive form included spells at Novara, Udinese, Sampdoria, Sporting CP and Manchester United, but his injury was not disclosed before the game.
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Fernandes' absence and Scott McTominay's injury means United have had 64 instances of players missing games due to injury or illness this season.
With McTominay and Fernandes unavailable, Erik ten Hag selected Mason Mount and Christian Eriksen in the starting XI, but Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martínez, Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw, who were absent, were substituted in defense. Left the team on the side. Most exposed.
Palace tore through United's backline all night long, picking up an easy three points, only to hand United a club-record 13th defeat in the Premier League this season.
Fernandes has also missed one game due to illness since joining United in January 2020, including the 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur in 2022. And today, Fernandes watched as the Old Trafford club's hopes of qualifying for Europe next season slipped further away.
United sit eighth in the table with 54 points after 35 games, level with Chelsea and two behind Newcastle United to qualify for the third-tier European Conference League.