Injury Blow for United Ahead of Palace Test
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has confirmed a significant injury setback ahead of Sunday's Premier League trip to Crystal Palace, with key forward Matheus Cunha remaining unavailable for selection. The Brazilian attacker, who suffered a knock in training last Saturday, joins Harry Maguire and Benjamin Sesko on the sidelines as United seek to recover from their disappointing midweek defeat.
The feel-good atmosphere that had been gradually returning to Old Trafford evaporated on Monday evening when the Red Devils suffered a 1-0 home loss to 10-man Everton, bringing their five-match unbeaten run to an abrupt halt. Cunha's absence was keenly felt during that match, compounding the existing unavailability of summer signing Sesko, who continues his recovery from a knee injury.
Amorim Provides Timeline for Returning Stars
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Amorim offered updates on his injured trio's recovery progress. "Sesko is going to take a little bit more time," the United boss stated. "Harry the same. I expect to have Matheus in the next one (against West Ham on Thursday), not this one."
When questioned whether Sesko had experienced a setback in his rehabilitation, Amorim was quick to dismiss such suggestions. "No, no, no. It's going to take a little bit longer. We are taking care of the injury," he clarified, having previously indicated the striker would face only a "few weeks" out when speaking ahead of the Everton fixture.
Formidable Challenge at Selhurst Park
The absence of both Cunha and Sesko presents a substantial challenge for United as they attempt to return to winning ways against a Crystal Palace side that has proven particularly difficult to break down at home. The Red Devils have failed to score in their last four Premier League meetings with the Eagles, a statistic that will concern Amorim given his side's recent attacking limitations.
United must also overcome the psychological impact of their embarrassing defeat to Everton, who played for over 75 minutes with ten men after Idrissa Gana Gueye's early dismissal for striking teammate Michael Keane. "It was really tough, the week, as it should be," Amorim admitted. "It was hard this result, this defeat, but the process needs to continue, and we need to go for the next game."
The Portuguese manager emphasised the need for perspective, adding: "We need to understand that especially in our league this year, everything can change really fast, so let's go again and focus on the next one."
United's away form provides additional cause for concern, with the team managing just one victory on their travels this campaign. They face a Palace side unbeaten in their last 12 Premier League home matches, creating a daunting prospect for the visitors.
Amorim identified controlling games as a key area for improvement, referencing recent away fixtures where his team surrendered winning positions. "We need to do the same things that we show to the players why we lost control against Nottingham Forest, why we lost control against Tottenham," he explained. "If you look at those games, they were there to win and then sometimes a small detail can change everything."
The United boss also noted a discrepancy in intensity between home and away performances, observing: "Then I felt during this year that when we play at home the intensity was higher and I felt in this game at home the intensity was not at the same level, so I think it's something that we need to work on."
Despite the challenges, Amorim remains focused on solutions rather than problems. "It's hard to point one thing why we are not winning away. There's a lot of issues," he acknowledged. "We are improving. Like I said, we have an advantage in the away games. We need to know how to finish the games in order to win."
