Luke Shaw and Casemiro have been important for Man Utd this season but could come out of the starting XI.
United drew 2-2 against Spurs before the international break.(Image: 2025 Manchester United FC)
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Manchester United's fixture schedule is about to get a lot busier after the international break.
United failed to qualify for European football and crashed out of the Carabao Cup at the second round stage, which means Ruben Amorim has overseen one game per week for most of the season.
That will change in December due to the festive Premier League calendar. It is famously a challenging month and United will play six games, double the number played in August, September and October.
United begin the month against West Ham at Old Trafford on December 4 and the Reds will play Wolves away five days later. Bournemouth come next on December 13, United will travel to Aston Villa on December 21, and Newcastle visit on Boxing Day.
The month will end with another game against Wolves - this time at home. The festive period can make-or-break a season, and Amorim will be desperate for his players to continue their recent momentum.
United are undefeated in their last five matches and will play Everton and Crystal Palace before the end of December, so there is an opportunity for that record to remain intact.
The busier fixture list will pose different challenges, though. Amorim picked an unchanged team for the first time in the Premier League against Brighton and he has settled on regular starters.
Luke Shaw, Bruno Fernandes, Matthijs de Ligt and Bryan Mbeumo have all started every league game this season, while Amad, Mathues Cunha and Casemiro are the next players with the most minutes recorded.
Mbeumo and Amad will travel to the Africa Cup of Nations to represent Cameroon and the Ivory Coast respectively near the end of December, and there are question marks around whether Shaw and Casemiro will be able to deal with the increased workload for different reasons.
United have planned with Amad and Mbeumo going to AFCON in mind, but it would be a blow to lose Shaw to injury, or for Casemiro's performance level to drop, which is possible due to the congested fixture list.
Casemiro has become important again.(Image: Anna Gowthorpe/Shutterstock)
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If you ignore the defeat in the Manchester derby, Shaw has enjoyed a strong campaign and was unfortunate not to be recalled to the England squad for the November international break.
He wants to play for his country, although United fans were pleased with Thomas Tuchel's decision given the 30-year-old has benefited from playing one game per week so far this season. Shaw has tended to pick up muscle injuries and little niggles in the past due to playing two matches in seven days, but he has maintained a clean bill of health thanks to the kinder fixture schedule.
You only need to look at Shaw's medical history to conclude that he may end up facing a spell on the sidelines during the winter schedule - more games mean a higher chance of injury.
Shaw has been excellent on the left side of the back three. Lisandro Martinez is set to return imminently from a knee injury, but he will be missed if he picks up an injury this winter.
On the other hand, Casemiro has demonstrated durability and should be able to physically cope with the increased workload, but whether he can maintain his current performance level is another matter.
United have conceded five goals when Casemiro has been on the pitch this season and 15 when he has been off it. The Brazilian has enjoyed an unexpected renaissance during 2025 after falling down the pecking order, but will he be able to sustain those displays playing two games per week?
Casemiro's renaissance was sparked by his performances in the Europa League last term. He was more suited to the pace of the competition, but he struggled when he played in the league.
The 33-year-old has transferred his European form into the Premier League this season but playing two weeks per week in December will pose different questions for him.
Amorim will be hoping Shaw remains fit and Casemiro can sustain his current level. United are guaranteed to lose Mbeumo and Amad, so they could do without another two key players losing their places.