Manchester United and Wolves face a significant selection crisis with 15 players combined unavailable due to a mixture of injuries, suspensions, and Africa Cup of Nations commitments.
Manchester United prepare to host bottom-placed Wolves at Old Trafford amidst a mounting availability crisis for both clubs.
United manager Ruben Amorim enters the fixture missing several vital components of his squad, including captain Bruno Fernandes, who remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Despite a recent 4-1 victory in the reverse fixture, the Red Devils must now navigate a depleted roster to maintain their push for a top-four Premier League finish.
The injury list at Carrington continues to grow, with Kobbie Mainoo, Harry Maguire, and Matthijs de Ligt all ruled out.
While Mainoo is expected to resume training soon, the Wolves clash comes too early for the young midfielder.
Adding to the tactical difficulty, Amorim is also without Noussair Mazraoui, Amad, and Bryan Mbeumo, who have all departed to represent their respective nations at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Wolves manager Rob Edwards faces an equally daunting task, missing several key defenders and midfielders due to both physical setbacks and international duties.
Rodrigo Gomes and Toti Gomes remain out with long-term issues, while the squad is further weakened by the absence of Emmanuel Agbadou for AFCON.
Furthermore, midfielder Andre will miss the trip to Manchester as he serves a one-match suspension following an accumulation of yellow cards.
Confirming the status of his star playmaker, Ruben Amorim stated that the captain is eager to return but must remain patient.
“The midfielder is eager to return to training at Carrington, but he is likely to remain on the sidelines for a few more weeks,” the manager noted during his pre-match briefing.
With 15 players total set to miss the encounter, both sides will be forced to rely on squad depth in this crucial festive-period fixture.