According to a report by Metro on Thursday, November 5, 2026, Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has been advised to consider a major alteration to his attacking line-up ahead of Sunday's Premier League encounter with Aston Villa, with young winger Shea Lacey emerging as a strong candidate to replace Amad Diallo in the starting eleven.

The suggestion follows Lacey's impressive display in Manchester United's dramatic 3-2 Champions League victory over Roma on Tuesday. The teenager came on as a substitute and immediately demonstrated his attacking ability, confidence and creativity, giving United another dimension in the final third.

Although Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty to begin United's comeback and Matheus Cunha found the net twice, Lacey also made a significant contribution to the victory. His intelligent movement and ability to create opportunities caused problems for the opposition defence.

The 19-year-old provided the decisive assist for Cunha's winning goal, delivering a well-timed pass that allowed the Brazilian forward to complete the comeback. He also showed impressive composure on the ball, completing all his attempted passes and winning the majority of his individual battles.

Carrick has already recognised the special qualities Lacey brings to the squad, particularly the unpredictability and creativity that can make a difference in difficult attacking situations.

Meanwhile, concerns have continued to emerge over Amad Diallo's contribution in front of goal. Despite his technical ability and reputation as one of Manchester United's most talented attackers, the Ivorian has struggled to produce consistent goals and assists.

Amad has not scored since December 15, when United played out an entertaining 4-4 draw against Bournemouth. Since then, he has registered just two assists, raising questions about his effectiveness in the attacking department.

His statistics have also attracted attention, with the winger recording only seven goal contributions in 40 appearances since the beginning of the 2025/26 campaign.

Former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has also expressed concerns about Amad's lack of end product while backing Lacey's potential involvement in the starting eleven.

With Sunday's meeting against Aston Villa approaching, Carrick must now decide whether to reward Lacey for his impressive performance against Roma by handing him a starting opportunity.

Introducing the youngster from the beginning could give Manchester United additional creativity, attacking confidence and a different threat in the final third.