Ruben Amorim confirms Cunha and Mount are fit to face Chelsea

Ruben Amorim has delivered a timely fitness boost for Manchester United ahead of their matchweek five clash against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Saturday.

United head into the clash on the back of a humbling 3-0 defeat in the Manchester derby a result that underlined what has been their poorest start to a league season in 30 years.

With just one victory so far, snatched late on against newly-promoted Burnley before the international break, the Red Devils sit 14th in the Premier League with four points from a possible 12.

Amorim, however, will be encouraged by the return of key players. Both Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount, sidelined since matchweek three against Burnley, are expected to be back in the squad for Saturday’s showdown with Chelsea.

That leaves just two senior absentees for United, Lisandro Martinez, who is still recovering from a serious knee injury, and Diogo Dalot, whose muscular issue keeps him unavailable.

‘(Diogo) Dalot is out. Mason is in the squad, and Cunha is in the squad. Licha (Lisandro Martinez) is still out,’ Amorim told reporters in his pre-match press conference as he provided an update on the condition of his squad.

Cunha had limped off during the opening half of the Burnley fixture before the international break, while Mount was withdrawn at half-time in the same match and consequently sat out the trip to the Etihad Stadium.

The new campaign has barely passed the one-month mark, yet United’s record already makes grim reading. Two defeats in their opening four league outings have been compounded by a humiliating EFL Cup exit to Grimsby Town.

Their only win so far came at Old Trafford against Burnley, where a stoppage-time penalty from Bruno Fernandes salvaged a 3-2 win despite their superiority throughout the contest.

Since Amorim’s appointment on Matchday 12 of last season, no current Premier League side has returned worse figures just 31 points collected from 31 fixtures, with a negative goal difference of 13 underlining the scale of the club’s struggles.

With a whole week of preparation, the Portuguese manager will be eager to extend his side’s unbeaten run against Chelsea to 13 games knowing that a defeat could trigger the infamous ‘club statement’ which has already marked the exit of five of United’s last six managers.

Source: footballtalk