Manchester United may not see De Ligt return against Villa! Amourin might deploy a 4-3-3, with Lima potentially replacing Casemiro.

Manchester United’s trip to Aston Villa, who have recently won nine consecutive games, will see Ruben Amorim’s squad change drastically from the 4-4 draw with Bournemouth on Monday, as three starters—Mbemo, Amad Diallo, and Casemiro—will be absent.

Mbemo and Amad will accompany Mazraoui, who has already departed, to Morocco for the Africa Cup of Nations, starting on the same day as the Villa game. Additionally, Casemiro is suspended for one match due to accumulating five yellow cards (excluding the two yellows that turned into a red against Chelsea), so he will definitely miss the away game at Villa Park.

If Amorim insists on his 3-4-3 formation, the simplest solution would be positional adjustments. In this case, Ugarte will almost certainly replace Casemiro, as it’s hard to imagine the defensive gaps if Bruno Fernandes and Cody Gakpo partner in midfield. Facing the in-form Villa under Emery away, such a setup might be suicidal.

Diogo Dalot will return to the right flank, while Patrick Dogu will cover the left side. Striker Sessko has recovered from injury and can return to the starting lineup. Cunha will resume his role as left winger, and Mason Mount can comfortably play on the right wing. If Sessko cannot last the entire match, Amorim could also start Gakpo, the 20-year-old English talent who has experience playing as a number 10.

Another option is switching to a back four. Manchester United’s players are well accustomed to playing 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1. Especially Gakpo, who would have a chance to start if the formation changes to four at the back. Amorim has previously stated that Gakpo suits a four-defender system better. The match against Villa will be a moment for the academy star to find out if there’s still any hope for him in Amorim’s plans; if he can’t start even with a weakened squad, fans can probably give up on expecting his inclusion.

However, if playing with four defenders, there might be concerns about Manchester United’s current central defensive options unless De Ligt recovers from injury or Lima regains form. Otherwise, any pairing from Lenny Yaro, Eden Haven, and Luke Shaw cannot fully reassure the fans.

Nevertheless, the Manchester Evening News revealed that Amorim still does not know whether Maguire or De Ligt will be available to face Villa. The 32-year-old English center-back Harry Maguire has been absent since getting injured in the 2-2 draw against Tottenham.

English media rumors suggest Maguire is about to rejoin the first team, with The Sun reporting he will return this month. Allegedly, Maguire could have come back earlier, but Manchester United chose not to risk him during the Africa Cup of Nations period when Mazraoui would be absent, so he could help the team during a shortage of players. However, whether Maguire and De Ligt can make it in time for the Villa game remains highly uncertain, especially since they have missed three matches and their current fitness is unpredictable.

Additionally, many fans have suggested repositioning Lima as a defensive midfielder, making the Villa match an ideal occasion to test this idea. The Argentine defender played as a defensive midfielder for a season at Ajax, filling in for Frenkie de Jong after his transfer to Barcelona. Nevertheless, neither Ten Hag nor Amorim has considered Lima the best choice for the midfield role.

The referee assignment for Manchester United’s away game at Villa has also upset some fans. Michael Oliver will officiate this key match, and Red Devils supporters mockingly say this is like awarding Villa three points in advance.