"He starts, means another loss", "All you can do is laugh" - Fans react to Manchester United star's inclusion in XI for Newcastle clash

Fans reacted to the inclusion of Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte in the starting lineup to face Newcastle United in the Premier League at Old Trafford on Boxing Day (Friday).

Ugarte, 24, has had an underwhelming season. starting four of 12 games across competitions, including three starts in 11 Premier League matches, registering no goal contribution.

The defensive midfielder made a rare start in the last league game, playing 73 minutes in a 2-1 loss at Aston Villa. In a forgettable outing, Ugarte made 27/32 passes, including 15/20 in the opposition half, and no crosses before coming off, marking a seventh winless league game where he started.

Understandably, fans aren't too pleased with Ugarte starting against Newcastle United and made their feelings known.

"Ugarte starts means another loss cheers people," one tweeted.

Another wrote:

"Ugarte. all you can do is laugh at this point."

There were similar reactions from other fans, with one commenting:

Ugarte being in the 11 is not the christmas present we wanted." "Why the hell is ugarte on the starting lineup?," another wrote.

The Red Devils have won just twice in their last eight league games, losing as many times.

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"It's impossible to replace Bruno Fernandes" - Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim said that the absence of Bruno Fernandes will be felt by the team, calling his compatriot an 'impossible to replace' player. The 31-year-old midfielder limped off at half-time in the aforementioned Aston Villa loss.

Fernandes is set to miss the next few games, with reports suggesting he could be available for the Old Trafford Premier League clash with cross-town rivals Manchester City on January 17.

"It is impossible to replace Bruno," Amorim said (as per the BBC). "I said that this morning to the team. We need to take the good thing, if there is a good thing on that - a lot of people need to step up."

Explaining Fernandes' role in the team, Amorim continued:

"At every set-piece he is the guy who is organising the team. He understands every position on the field, he pays attention to every detail. When you have a substitution, he is always the guy telling the other guys where they should be."

The Red Devils, with 26 points from 17 games, winning seven, trail leaders Arsenal by 13 points.

Edited by Bhargav