"Three Key Concerns for Man Utd: Ruben Amorim's Transfer Position and Bruno Fernandes' Extended Injury Absence"

MANCHESTER UNITED’S season went from bad to worse as they lost 2-1 at Aston Villa.

Morgan Rogers’ double condemned the

The problems are mounting for Ruben Amorim after Man Utd’s loss to Aston VillaCredit: Getty The Red Devils are in dire need of midfield reinforcements after Manuel Ugarte’s latest poor performanceCredit: Alamy

And Ruben Amorim has been left scratching his head after seeing star man

after losing several players to Afcon.

Here, SunSport looks at the three major worries for this Christmas…

MIDFIELD SIGNING A PRIORITY

Ruben Amorim hinted that United might not strengthen in an area fans expect, leading many to believe he was referring to the midfield.

But another drab Manuel Ugarte performance means the Portuguese gaffer might need to rush forward a central midfield signing instead of waiting until the summer.

Used as a deep-lying midfielder, the Uruguayan struggled on the ball. Yet again the £50.8million 2024 signing from Paris Saint-Germain was caught in possession inside his own half, leading to a flurry of Villa attacks and leaving a young back line vulnerable.

And at times even teen Ayden Heaven showed more composure on the ball than the vastly more experienced international.

Ugarte was eventually replaced by academy midfielder Jack Fletcher, 18, when United were pushing for an equaliser with 15 minutes left.

LACK OF CLEAN SHEETS

United’s clean-sheet record is set to cost them Champions League football next term.

The Red Devils sit seventh and have only succeeded in registering one shutout in the Premier League this season.

That is their joint-fewest after 17 games of a top-flight campaign, along with 1961-62, 1959-60 and 1958-59.

Despite Amorim’s tactical tweaking, the back line remains porous, with Heaven, 19, and 20-year-old Leny Yoro still learning.

Morgan Rogers’ two goals to seal victory for Aston Villa highlighted familiar failings in loose marking and a failure to track runners.

Until Amorim can plug these leaks, United’s European ambitions remain built on sand.

FERNANDES INJURY HUGE BLOW

At one point this season, Amorim enjoyed the best injury record in the league, helped by United’s reduced midweek schedule without European football.

But the Portuguese manager now might have a crisis on his hands.

With three stars away on Africa Cup of Nations duty, Amorim has a further four first-team players injured, with Kobbie Mainoo ruled out before kick-off yesterday — plus Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire out.

Skipper Bruno Fernandes failed to re-emerge for the second half at Villa after Amadou Onana’s strong challenge went unpunished by referee Michael Oliver.

United have never had to deal with the ever-reliable Fernandes being sidelined through injury and the prospect of getting a result against Newcastle on Boxing Day now seems a tall order.