Last I knew, MPL certificates/courses were targeted to entry-level airliners -- 737 and A320 -- not "heavies." Also, autoland capability is not on any MEL list as a "no go" item,
AFAIK.
You don't need major damage to any systems to set up a plausible scenario. All you need is an incapacitated Captain and weather near Cat I minimums over a wide area -- like Europe in the winter! the additional stress of flying "alone" may well overcome an inexperienced pilot's ability to act rationally. Now expand that to a country without a significant commercial aviation history, with rigid procedure-based training, but is adopting the MPL paradigm and is rapidly expanding its commercial aviation -- like China...