Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim says Kobbie Mainoo will miss the Boxing Day game against Newcastle United, as well as confirming that Bruno Fernandes has a “soft tissue” injury.

Mainoo, 20, missed his side’s 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday due to a calf injury, while captain Fernandes sustained an injury during the defeat at Villa Park.

The 31-year-old, who has only missed two games in his six-year United career through injury and one more through illness, was substituted at half-time after being seen clutching his hamstring towards the end of the first half on Sunday.

Speaking after the game, Amorim provided an update on the midfield pair, saying: “I will see what we are going to do. Kobbie is out (against Newcastle on December 26). Bruno, we will see.

“I don’t know (about Fernandes). I think it is soft tissue; he is going to lose some games. I don’t know for sure, so let’s see.

“I don’t know (if Fernandes will be out for weeks). I don’t want to talk about it. You never control these things. It is a guy who is always fit, so he can recover quite well, but I don’t know.

“Sometimes it is bad luck, sometimes everything at the same time. Let’s focus on the next one.”

Amorim was also asked how he would replace the pair’s characteristics, saying: “We have to find different situations, but in this moment last year, we had the same issue.  When you have the same experience, maybe it doesn’t look so bad. But we have the feeling, no one is going to die.”

Due to Mainoo and Fernandes’ injuries, in addition to Casemiro’s suspension, United fielded Manuel Ugarte and Lisandro Martinez in midfield at Villa Park, as well as handing debuts to Jack Fletcher and Shea Lacey.

Those injuries are compounded by the absence of Bryan Mbeumo and Amad, who are both representing their nations at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

“We need to deal with that (having a thin squad),” Amorim added. “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. 

“I’m not going to get (together) with Jason (Wilcox) and Omar (Berrada) and say ‘we need a lot of players’ because we have a plan. 

“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. You can feel in this moment that we are going to struggle, but we will see.”