The duo’s return is a boost for caretaker manager Darren Fletcher, who is set to be in charge of the club for the first time at Turf Moor
Bruno Fernandes and Mason Mount are back in the Manchester United squad ahead of their trip to Burnley.
Fernandes has missed United’s last three games due to a hamstring injury, while Mount has missed the last two with a knock.
The duo’s return is a boost for caretaker manager Darren Fletcher, who is set to be in charge of the club for the first time at Turf Moor after Ruben Amorim was sacked this week. United have struggled in Fernandes’ absence in particular, winning their game against Newcastle but drawing the last two against Wolves and Leeds United, and struggling with chance creation.
The two senior players should feature but are highly unlikely to play full time.
“They’ll be on managed minutes and restricted minutes because they have only just returned to training so that is good news, especially because they are players who have been in good form,” said Fletcher.
“To have them available for selection is obviously great news for me, the players and the club and the fans.”
Fletcher, who made 342 appearances for United and has since taken on various coaching and administrative roles around the club, is an option for United as caretaker manager till the end of the season, with the club planning to hire a permanent manager in the summer.
However, there may be concerns about his inexperience, and United are likely to go for either Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or Michael Carrick, both of whom have managed the club before. Fletcher said he was not thinking about the future as his sole focus is on the important game at Turf Moor.
“The focus is on this game and then we’ll speak after the game,” Fletcher said. “Honestly it is not something I’ve thought about. I’m focusing on Burnley. I think that discussion’s for after the game.”
The former United midfielder said it was an “amazing honour” to be in the United dugout, even if it is only temporary.
The Scot confirmed he had spoken to Sir Alex Ferguson and obtained his blessing when he was asked to take charge of the first team.
“I don’t like to make any major decisions without speaking to Sir Alex,” Fletcher said. “I’ve got a really good relationship with Sir Alex, so I wanted to speak to him first and ultimately to get his blessing, to be perfectly honest with you. I think he deserves that respect.
“I wanted to run it by him and he echoed my thoughts. When you’re an employee of the club, it’s your job to do your best for Manchester United. It is something I try and live and believe every day, so it was comforting for me for him to say that.”
