Dhaka, Dec. 26 -- Manchester United Head Coach Ruben Amorim said it is "impossible" to replace Bruno Fernandes as he faces up to a month without his captain.

Fernandes was forced out of Sunday's 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa with a hamstring problem, which Amorim said at the time would rule the Portugal midfielder out of today's visit of Newcastle.

Amorim refused to put a definitive timescale on Fernandes' absence when he spoke to the media on Wednesday, although he did say the expectation was it is "not going to take a lot of time".

Sources have said privately they believe the 31-year-old will return for the Manchester derby with City at Old Trafford on 17 January, which would mean a five-match absence.

It is a huge blow at a time when k...