Manchester United officially announced that De Ligt and Maguire will miss the match against Villa, with six players sidelined! Amrabat remains confident of victory.

Manchester United will travel to Aston Villa this Sunday to face a formidable team on a nine-match winning run. Ruben Amrabat is dealing with a depleted squad: Mbemba, Amad Diallo, and Mazraoui are out due to the Africa Cup of Nations, Casemiro is suspended for five yellow cards, and injured De Ligt and Maguire will not recover in time, as officially confirmed by the club.

At the pre-match press conference, Amrabat stated: "Will De Ligt and Maguire play? No, they haven’t recovered, and no other players have returned either. Only the players you already know will be available. I think everyone is in good shape, and after one more training session, the rest of the squad will be ready."

The 32-year-old Maguire injured his thigh in the 2-2 draw against Tottenham and has missed five matches. According to the Manchester Evening News, Amrabat is taking a cautious approach to the England defender’s injury. Despite the squad shortage, there is no rush to bring him back. Maguire will definitely miss the Villa game and might be on the bench for the Boxing Day match against Newcastle.

De Ligt’s issue is with his back. Although Amrabat described it as a minor injury, De Ligt has already missed three games. To prevent worsening the injury and ensure long-term recovery, he needs to be fully healed before returning, with a possible comeback in the squad against Newcastle.

Given this situation, if Amrabat continues with the 3-4-3 formation, the wing-backs available are only Patrick Dogu and Diogo Dalot. The center-backs left are Lenny Yaro, Eden Haven, Luke Shaw, and Lisandro Martinez. The midfield options are Bruno Fernandes, Ugarte, and Kobe Meno, while the forwards are Cunha, Mason Mount, Sheshko, and Zirkzee. It is expected that United will have to call up young players like Diego Leon, Tyler Fredrickson, Jack Fletcher, Shea Lacey, and Chido Obi to strengthen the bench.

Emery’s Villa has been undefeated recently, and Amrabat acknowledges their title chances: "Anything is possible. They have an experienced coach. Watching Villa play, you see a very mature team that stays calm when behind and doesn’t get overconfident when leading. They always manage their emotions well. Villa is a very strong team now; if they reach the final stages, I don’t know what will happen."

Amrabat said that to end Villa’s winning streak, Manchester United must maintain a balance between attack and defense, unlike the 4-4 draw against Bournemouth. He explained: "If we watch the Bournemouth game again, we’ll see those goals conceded could have been avoided. Our transitions between attack and defense were chaotic. So, we must give our all defensively, but sometimes we didn’t."

Manchester United faces many issues this week, and captain Bruno Fernandes’ interview with Portuguese media sparked discussion. Regarding this, Amrabat said Bruno had informed the club in advance: "He communicated with the club before the interview, sharing his true thoughts. We knew the potentially controversial topics, so we could avoid further trouble. He also spoke with the board, and I believe everything has been clarified."

Amrabat stated: "I don’t know if it’s fair, but he expressed his true feelings. He should take responsibility for his actions, not me. He is a role model for the team, giving his all in every training and match, which makes him special. We need to show the same attitude and learn from him because he truly is an example. He shares his views, but it doesn’t affect his performance. Every time I see him train or play, I feel he’s a unique player. His stats and appearances fully prove his distinction."

Regarding academy midfielder Kobe Meno, Amrabat said: "I still have many unresolved matters on my desk. Every issue in the club ultimately falls to me to handle, which takes time. Kobe’s job is to train and play, and in the last game, I thought he performed very well. If he’s needed on the pitch, he will play."