Cas and Shaw fitness vital over winter

MANCHESTER United's fixture schedule is about to get a lot busier after the international break.

- By STEVEN RAILSTON

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.