Bruno Fernandes set to pass fit for West Ham after late scare

Manchester United look set to have their captain back on deck for West Ham’s trip to Old Trafford, with Bruno Fernandes expected to be involved despite that heart-in-mouth limp at the end of the 2-1 win over Crystal Palace.

Fitness latest: skipper set to go

Per CentreDevils, the Portuguese playmaker trained with the group and is in good condition ahead of Thursday night. It’s classic Bruno: relentless minutes, relentless influence. He’s barely missed a kick in the league, chalking up two goals and five assists from 13 appearances, and he pulled the strings again at the weekend with a pair of assists as United ground out the points against Palace.

Amorim’s selection puzzle

Ruben Amorim admitted midweek he had concerns over the availability of two of his starters for this one, with Fernandes believed to be among those monitored closely. The noise now is positive on the skipper, but the manager’s hand is still forced elsewhere.

Injury picture: Maguire and Sesko out, Cunha back

United will be without Harry Maguire as he nurses a hamstring issue, and Benjamin Sesko remains sidelined after the knee problem he picked up in that 2-2 draw at Tottenham in early November. The Slovenia international has missed the last three league matches and, while he’s still a few weeks off, there’s optimism he’ll feature before the year is out. Matheus Cunha, meanwhile, is expected to return to the squad after a minor knock kept him out of the previous game.

Sesko’s prospective comeback could arrive around the time Bryan Mbeumo heads to the Africa Cup of Nations, with the Cameroonian potentially away for about a month. As for Maguire, he was forced off in the same Spurs draw and is tracking a similar timeline to Sesko, with Amorim suggesting both could be back in a couple of weeks.

Pundit’s view: why Bruno’s availability matters

If Fernandes is fit to start, United’s tempo, pressing triggers and final-ball quality go up a notch. West Ham won’t enjoy chasing his pockets of space between the lines, and his set-piece craft is another lever for Amorim to pull. If there’s any late reaction, expect a conservative call and a bench role—but the indications are he’s ready to lead again.

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Bottom line: United’s captain appears good to go, the defence still needs patching, and West Ham arrive to face a side buoyed by a gritty win—just the sort of night Old Trafford thrives on.