Manchester United’s hard-fought 1–0 victory over Newcastle United on Boxing Day was tinged with a familiar sense of anxiety. Despite a spectacular winning volley from Patrick Dorgu, the headlines at Old Trafford were stolen by the half-time withdrawal of Mason Mount, sparking fears of yet another injury setback for the midfielder.
Following the match, head coach Ruben Amorim addressed the situation, revealing that the substitution was a "precautionary" measure in the face of a mounting injury crisis.
The Half-Time Change: What Happened?
Mount, who had started in a creative #10 role alongside Matheus Cunha, did not reappear for the second half. He was replaced by 18-year-old Jack Fletcher, the son of United legend Darren Fletcher.
Amorim’s Explanation:
"He [Mount] felt something at half-time. He wanted to go on in the second half, and that is a good sign of his mentality, but we simply cannot afford to lose more players. If you are not 100%, we cannot take the risk."
While Amorim didn't specify the exact nature of the "feeling," the decision to protect Mount
underscores the desperate state of the United squad.
A Midfield "Bare Bones" Crisis
Amorim’s caution is born out of necessity. United entered the Newcastle clash already missing several key pillars:
Bruno Fernandes: The captain remains out with a muscle injury.
Kobbie Mainoo: Sidelined with a calf strain picked up in training.
AFCON Absentees: Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo are currently away on international duty.
Defensive Woes: Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt are also unavailable.
Tactical Shift: Amorim Breaks His Own Rule
The injury crisis forced Amorim into a major tactical U-turn. For the first time, he abandoned his trademark back-three system, opting for a pragmatic 4-2-3-1 formation.
Patrick Dorgu, usually a wing-back, was deployed as an advanced right-winger and responded with a thunderous 24th-minute volley that proved to be the winner.
Lisandro Martinez returned to the starting XI as stand-in captain, anchoring a back four that weathered a second-half siege from Newcastle to secure only United's second clean sheet of the season.
The Verdict: While Mount was keen to "soldier on," Amorim’s refusal to gamble suggests the medical staff is hyper-aware of his history of setbacks. United now face a frantic 72-hour turnaround before hosting Wolves on Tuesday, December 30.