Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is grappling with a severe injury crisis as he prepares his team for a high-stakes Premier League trip to Elland Road this Sunday. The Red Devils face old rivals Leeds United desperate to bounce back after dropping points in a 1-1 draw with bottom-side Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Amorim's Squad Selection Headache
The Portuguese coach has confirmed his squad is stretched to its absolute limit for the busy festive period. Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, and Mason Mount are all ruled out through injury, depleting United's core options significantly.
To compound these issues, Amorim remains unable to select Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo, and Noussair Mazraoui. The trio are still competing at the Africa Cup of Nations, having progressed to the last-16 stage with Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Morocco respectively.
"You can see the squad, it is impossible and we cannot stretch the players that we don't have at the moment," Amorim admitted in a bleak assessment. "I will try to put together a team that is ready to cope with that."
Tactical Tweaks on the Cards for Leeds Trip
Faced with these shortages, Amorim may be forced into another tactical reshuffle. He temporarily abandoned his preferred system for a 1-0 win over Newcastle United on Boxing Day, switching to a back four. However, the experiment seemed short-lived as United reverted to type in the subsequent draw with Wolves.
The 40-year-old manager may now consider returning to the four-man defence that proved successful at St. James' Park, especially given the need to get more bodies into advanced attacking positions against Leeds.
Predicted Manchester United Starting Lineup
In goal, Senne Lammens is the clear favourite, having started 13 consecutive matches since his October debut.
The predicted back four could see Diogo Dalot, Ayden Heaven, Lisandro Martinez, and Luke Shaw line up. Teenager Heaven, who was man of the match against Newcastle, has grown in stature with each appearance.
In midfield, the experienced Casemiro is likely to be partnered by Manuel Ugarte, with academy product Jack Fletcher a potential option from the bench.
Further forward, Patrick Dorgu and Matheus Cunha are expected to provide width and attack from the flanks. Dorgu, in particular, has become a genuine goal threat since being deployed in a more advanced role.
Leading the line should be Benjamin Sesko, supported by Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutch forward, frequently linked with a January transfer, will be keen to add to his goal tally.
Predicted Manchester United XI (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Heaven, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Ugarte; Dorgu, Zirkzee, Cunha; Sesko.
The stage is set for a fiery encounter at Elland Road, with Amorim's tactical choices and his patched-up squad's resilience set to be tested to the limit.
