?

Is throwing 11 first team players onto icy pitch in freezing Kazakhstan for a meaningless game man management 101?

No, a right mix of senior and youth players to ensure a victory would be an example of good management.

Most of those players won't get another chance to play for the first team and their only memory of playing for Manchester United will be a defeat in Kazakhstanian backwaters.

A good number of them will likely play in a couple weeks in the league cup at home

Not sure about that, we barely squeezed past Rochdale the other round - had to rely on pelanties - and that was a pretty strong side with Pogba, Fred, Pereira, AWB etc all starting

it’s the Christmas period fixture pileup, there will be rotation for sure

I mean we are so close to the final already, is Solskjaer going to risk it as even if it's only League Cup, I bet he's desperate to win a trophy.

of course he wants the trophy, that said it's a better fixture to rotate some players. probably not an entire academy squad but 3-5 is sufficient.
coming up are Spurs and Citeh in the next week, then last EL game at home to determine seeding, and the league cup game is sandwiched by Everton and Watford.

Decent enough team, should dispatch Villa with ease.

Famous last words.

As incompetent as Solsksjaer is, you just don't get any easier fixtures in the league than Villa at home.

Speaking of Villa, does anyone remember when Ashley Young was as good as Messi, I remember

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/aston-villa/3740559/Ashley-Young-is-on-a-par-with-Lionel-Messi.html