Manchester United s top four test is in December! The schedule has doubled and success or failure depends on this, testing the physical fitness of the two main players

Manchester United's relaxed schedule has come to an end. After this international break, Ruben Amorim and his players will face a more intensive schedule. This will be a new challenge for veteran Casemiro and glass man Luke Shaw. Not only that, Mbemo, Amad Diallo and Mazrawi have to play in the African Cup of Nations and will be out for at least two weeks.

Since Manchester United missed the European War this season and was eliminated early in the second round of the League Cup, they only need to play one game per week before December. This gave Casemiro a chance to recuperate, but even so, he rarely played the full 90 minutes.

But this situation will change in December. As we all know, the Premier League not only has no winter break, but also has a more intensive schedule during the Christmas period. Manchester United will play six games in December, double the number of games in August, September and October.

According to the schedule, Manchester United will play West Ham United at home on December 4 and visit Wolves five days later. The challenges posed by these two relegation teams may not be big. But playing against Bournemouth on December 13, visiting Aston Villa on December 21, and facing Newcastle United on December 26 will not be so easy. Manchester United's last game this year is against Wolves. This is a home game, so there is a good chance to end the year with a victory.

Boxing Day games often determine the success or failure of a season. Amorim certainly hopes that Manchester United players can continue their recent good momentum. Before the international break, the Red Devils achieved a 5-game unbeaten streak. Manchester United has four games in November, the first two of which were draws. At the end of the month, they will play Everton at home and visit Crystal Palace.

The intensive schedule will naturally increase the challenge against Manchester United, which does not have a strong lineup. Amorim has basically determined the main lineup, and in the battle against Brighton, he arranged a completely unchanged starting lineup for the first time since taking charge.

Statistics show that De Ligt, Luke Shaw, Bruno Fernandez and Mbemo are the only four Manchester United players who have started all Premier League games, while Amad, Cunha and Casemiro are the other main players who have played more time.

Mbemo and Amad will represent Cameroon and Cote d'Ivoire respectively in the African Cup of Nations at the end of December, and whether Luke Shaw and Casemiro can cope with the enhanced schedule is still questionable. In addition to physical problems, Casemiro also needs to avoid yellow cards. Before the 19th round, if he gets two more yellow cards, he will be suspended for one game.

This season, Manchester United has only conceded 5 goals when the 33-year-old Casemiro is on the court, and 15 goals when he is not on the court. Therefore, whether the "Fat Tiger" can maintain the same state in a dense schedule and how Manchester United will respond if he has a problem are all new tests.

Luke Shaw played the left center back most of the time this season and performed smoothly. The 0-3 defeat in the Manchester derby was the only exception. "Carlos the Great" also wants to participate in next year's World Cup. Naturally, it is a pity that he cannot return to the England team this time, but his failure may be good news for Amorim.

The 30-year-old Luke Shaw only plays one game per week this season, which is good for him to stay away from injuries. Luke Shaw often suffered minor injuries such as muscle strains during the doubleheader in the past week. The more games he plays, the higher the chance of injury. Can he hold on during the intensive schedule from December to January?

Amorim hopes that Luke Shaw can stay healthy and Casemiro can maintain his current level. Manchester United has already confirmed that they will lose Mbemo and Amad, so they definitely don’t want to have problems with two more key players. If this test can be successfully passed, Manchester United's hopes of successfully returning to the Champions League this season will be greatly increased.