Manchester United will head into their mid-week Premier League clash with Arsenal without four key players due to injuries and suspensions, leaving manager Ruben Amorim with several challenges. United will be missing two players due to yellow card suspensions, with Lisandro Martinez and Kobbie Mainoo both serving one-match bans after picking up cautions in their 4-0 victory over Everton on Sunday. This leaves Amorim needing to adjust his lineup for the trip to north London to face an Arsenal side in strong form.
The Gunners have scored an impressive 13 goals in their last three matches, including a dominant 5-2 win over West Ham on Saturday, propelling them to second place in the Premier League. Despite some injury concerns of their own, including doubts over Gabriel Magalhães, Riccardo Calafiori, Thomas Partey, and Mikel Merino, Arsenal will be confident heading into the match. United, however, will face a tough test as they try to build on their own momentum after the Everton win.
Defensive reshuffling is expected for United, especially after Amorim switched to a back three in recent matches. With both Martinez and Mainoo unavailable, the manager will likely call upon Harry Maguire or Luke Shaw to partner Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui in central defense. Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof, who are both sidelined with injuries, will not be options for Amorim. Evans has missed the past two games with a knock, while Lindelof is recovering from a groin injury that has kept him out since November 7.
Amorim admitted that it’s a challenging period for his squad, with many players struggling to cope with the demands of back-to-back matches. He noted that some players would be managed carefully, with certain individuals potentially being taken off after 60 or 70 minutes to avoid overloading them. The manager also indicated that young defender Leny Yoro could make his first appearance of the season after recovering from a broken toe. Though Amorim is excited about Yoro’s potential, he emphasized the need for caution, as the player has not had much time to train with the full squad.
As Amorim prepares his team for the difficult test against Arsenal, he is also focused on managing player fatigue and making strategic decisions about who will be fit to play in what promises to be a high-stakes encounter.
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