Darren Fletcher takes charge of Manchester United for the first time tonight. The interim head coach steps into the dugout after a turbulent few days at Old Trafford.
United come into the game following the draw with Leeds. That result was followed by Ruben Amorim’s public criticism of the INEOS hierarchy.
So, the United board sacked Amorim on Monday and Fletcher placed in temporary charge. The Red Devils are not looking to appoint a permanent head coach till next summer.
So, they are exploring caretaker options. United have contacted Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Michael Carrick, and Ruud van Nistelrooy for the job. But, for now, Fletcher leads the team.
Ahead of the clash with Burnley, Fletcher delivered updates on several injured players during his press conference. His focus is on getting key figures back on the pitch.
One of those is Kobbie Mainoo. The midfielder has not featured since the 4–4 draw with Bournemouth. His absence has been felt.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Fletcher confirmed there is a chance Mainoo could return to the squad. Fletcher said:
“Kobbie actually did part of the session today. But he’s going to have to be assessed tomorrow. That was part of the plan.”
There was also positive news on the captain. Bruno Fernandes has returned to training and will be available for selection at Turf Moor. Fletcher stressed the importance of having him back. He said:
“You don’t have to speak about Bruno. He’s the captain. He’s the leader of the team.
“So to have him available is great news for me, for the players, for the club, and for the fans.”
Also, Fletcher confirmed he will not overuse Fernandes after his recent injury layoff. Mason Mount has also returned to training.
Like Bruno, he will have restricted minutes, as the club plans to slowly integrate him to the team. Manchester United will be hoping the return of key players can spark an upturn in results.
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