Rúben Amorim may have to replace Mason Mount as Manchester United prepare to face Wolves at Old Trafford on Tuesday evening.
Manchester United round off the 2025 calendar year by welcoming Wolverhampton Wanderers to Old Trafford.
It has been a turbulent year for Rúben Amorim, but a recent 1-0 Premier League win over Newcastle, secured alongside a clean sheet, has provided renewed hope that progress is being made.
United have already faced Wolves this season, earning an emphatic 4-1 victory at Molineux earlier in the month. This time, however, the hosts will be without several players due to injury and Africa Cup of Nations commitments.
With the New Year fast approaching, Amorim will be aiming for a composed performance and all three points as his side look to maintain their push towards the Champions League places.
Lacey could come in for Mount
United kept only their second clean sheet of the season against Newcastle and defended brilliantly, so it’s safe to assume not many, if any, changes will be made to the back line.
Senne Lammens will start in goal, while it’s safe to assume that both Ayden Heaven and Diogo Dalot will continue at right centre-back and right-back, respectively.
There is a little question over whether LIsandro Martínez and Luke Shaw will continue as both were substituted against Newcastle toward the end of the game. However, with a general lack of options elsewhere, both are still odds-on to start at left centre-back and left-back.
In midfield is where selection decisions will ned to be made. Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte both started against Newcastle and played well, although Jack Fletcher also impressed when he came on for Mason Mount.
The South American duo are not the most creative, and with a decimated forward line, Fletcher over Ugarte could add a little extra attacking flair – although this is the less likely scenario, particularly when there is the chance that Shea Lacey could start in the front four.
Mount’s injury status is unclear after the player came off at half-time on Friday evening, and with Joshua Zirkzee disappointing off the bench against Newcastle, 18-year-old talent Lacey could be given his first start for the club.
Lacey is a fantastic right winger, and although Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu scored from this position against Newcastle, the Dane could be shifted to the left flank, leaving space for Lacey to start on the right and Matheus Cunha to play as the central-attacking midfielder.
Read More: Rúben Amorim drops major system change hint after AFCON with ‘the end for the manager’ Man Utd claim
Benjamin Šeško played around 60 minutes against Newcastle as he continues to build his fitness levels, and the game against Wolves would be the perfect chance for him to get back on the score sheet.
United predicted XI vs Wolves
Lammens, Dalot, Heaven, Martínez, Shaw, Casemiro, Ugarte, Lacey, Cunha, Dorgu, Šeško.
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is streamed live every Thursday at 14:00 pm (GMT) on the United View YouTube channel.