Man Utd lineup vs. Aston Villa: Predicted XI for Premier League clash as Ruben Amorim makes Kobbie Mainoo call

Manchester United starlet Kobbie Mainoo may finally earn his first start of the 2025-26 Premier League season in Sunday's clash with Aston Villa at Villa Park.

Ruben Amorim will have to manage without Casemiro for the contest in the West Midlands, as the veteran is serving a one-match suspension for accumulating five yellow cards, the most recent of which came in Monday's frenzied 4-4 draw with Bournemouth.

Mainoo replaced Casemiro with just over an hour gone at Old Trafford, so the 20-year-old should be ahead of the similarly out-of-favour Manuel Ugarte in the queue to step in for the banned Brazilian.

If so, Mainoo will join forces with Bruno Fernandes in midfield as the Portuguese aims to create history; if the Man Utd skipper sets up a goal on Sunday, he will become the first man to ever provide an assist in six consecutive Premier League away games.

Fernandes will be feeding a Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo-less attack due to the Africa Cup of Nations, though, so the door is open for the recently-recovered Benjamin Sesko to join Mason Mount and Matheus Cunha in the final third.

Noussair Mazraoui is also away with Morocco, so Diogo Dalot and Patrick Dorgu are the most obvious options for wing-back starts, unless Amorim switches to a four-man defensive wall from the first whistle.

The latter scenario would allow Luke Shaw to occupy an out-and-out left-back role, but midfield shortages mean that Amorim should stick with his recognised 3-4-2-1 from the off.

There is still scope for one defensive alteration, though, as Lisandro Martinez has now made four consecutive substitute appearances after a knee injury and is likely now at the stage where he is ready to start matches.

Ayden Heaven is the most likely to give up his place for Martinez, whose fellow defenders Harry Maguire (thigh) and Matthijs de Ligt (back) are still sidelined.

Manchester United possible starting lineup:

Lammens; Yoro, Martinez, Shaw; Dalot, Mainoo, Fernandes, Dorgu; Mount, Cunha; Sesko

> Click here to see how Aston Villa could line up for this game