Erik ten Hag explains why Bruno Fernandes is missing against Arsenal

Bruno Fernandes missed the trip to Crystal Palace earlier this week due to injury but returned to training later in the week, hinting that he would be back in the side for the visit of Arsenal on Sunday.

An hour prior to kick-off when the teams were announced, however, Fernandes was nowhere to be seen in the squad and was instead replaced by Amad Diallo, who starts for United for the first time in over 800 days.

Speaking ahead of kick-off, Ten Hag explained Fernandes’ absence, admitting the Portuguese international was in the running to feature until the last minute but ultimately, the game came just too soon for the midfielder.

“In the last moment Bruno couldn’t make it so we brought [Amad] into the team,” Ten Hag told Sky Sports, via Manchester World.

“He deserves a chance and he can show it. The last days we trained with Rashy… Bruno trained for two days, but he was not far enough to recover from his injuries.”

Victory over the Gunners would put United in a strong position to qualify for next season’s Europa League but winning the FA Cup would also land them in the tournament.

Three points for Arsenal would mean climbing to the summit of the Premier League ahead of the final round, with Manchester City needing a win over Tottenham Hotspur to reclaim top spot.