Manchester United have several absences within the side, including stars called up for the Africa Cup of Nations, suspension concerns and injury issues before their match against Aston Villa.
Luke Thrower Trends Writer
07:03, 16 Dec 2025
Casemiro is set to miss the clash with Aston Villa due to suspension(Image: (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images))
Ruben Amorim oversaw yet another chaotic game at Old Trafford, as Manchester United were forced to settle for a 4-4 draw against Bournemouth on Monday night.
Goals from Amad, Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, and Matheus Cunha should have been enough to seal all three points, but they were cancelled out by finishes from Antoine Semenyo, Evanilson, Marcus Tavernier, and Eli Junior Kroupi.
It leaves United ruing a missed opportunity to climb even further up the Premier League table, as they moved into sixth and within a whisker of the Champions League places.
There are now a few days for Amorim to assess the performance before focus shifts to another tough match, this time against Aston Villa at Villa Park over the weekend.
The head coach is set to be without some key players, as injuries, suspensions, and international call-ups hit at the same time.
So, with that said, here’s a look at the latest Manchester United injury news and suspension updates.
Casemiro
Casemiro is set to be a key absence for Manchester United over the weekend, after he hit the five-card threshold that will now see him banned for the trip to Villa Park.
The Brazilian came up with an important back-post header against Bournemouth, but his booking was enough to confirm his absence for the next match.
What Ruben Amorim has said: “It’s an opportunity for everyone. We will be ready for the challenge. We already knew that can happen to any team. A lot of teams are going to lose players, a lot of teams have injuries.
“We need to just go for the next game with a responsibility to win the game, to fight, and we will try to find different ways of creating chances and scoring those.”
Expected return date: Newcastle (H) – December 26.
Benjamin Sesko
After battling back from a knee injury and a bout of food poisoning, Benjamin Sesko is back and available for Manchester United once again.
The striker made an appearance from the bench to feature against Bournemouth, though it remains to be seen if he will be fit enough to start in the next few games having gone without an appearance for over a month.
Matthijs de Ligt
Matthijs de Ligt missed out on the clash against Bournemouth, with Amorim confirming a slight back problem for the defender when coming into the tie.
It’s uncertain whether he will be available, though the manager has claimed that caution must be exercised over his fitness.
What Ruben Amorim has said: “I think he has something in his back. I don’t know for sure… sometimes you see it’s not a big injury – he finished the game quite well against Palace – but sometimes he feels a little pain, and we have to be careful.”
Expected return date: Aston Villa (A) – December 21.
Harry Maguire
Another defensive injury has seen Harry Maguire out of action, after picking up a hamstring problem that is set to keep him on the sidelines a little longer.
What Ruben Amorim has said: “It will take a little bit longer, and we are taking care of him. Harry, the same.”
Expected return date: Newcastle (H) – December 26.
Bryan Mbeumo
Bryan Mbeumo is one of three players called up for the Africa Cup of Nations over December and January, as he joins up with the Cameroon national team for the competition.
It remains to be seen when he will be available again, as it will all depend on how far he manages to reach in the tournament with his side.
Amad
Amad is another absence, as he joins the Ivory Coast national team for AFCON, with hopes of making it far into the tournament this winter.
Noussair Mazraoui
The final of the three absentees is Noussair Mazraoui, who joined up with the hosts Morocco this week, meaning he was absent to face Bournemouth, and is set to be out until his side are out of the tournament or win it all.