The Three Man Utd Players at AFCON and the Video games They Might Miss

Ruben Amorim is foreshadowing one other interval of “struggle” in Manchester when the Africa Cup of Nations will get underway in December.

The Portuguese coach is approaching his one-year anniversary in control of the Red Devils, having overseen the membership’s worst season because the Premier League’s inauguration in 2024–25.

However, there have at the least been indicators of competence initially of the brand new marketing campaign, with Matthijs de Ligt’s last-gasp header at Tottenham Hotspur extending their unbeaten run to 4 video games. A diminished workload has up to now labored to their benefit, however the video games will arrive thick and quick for Amorim’s males because the calendar yr veers in the direction of its conclusion.

And this time, loads of Premier League managers should work across the festivities with out their African contingents. Amorim is unlikely to have greater than a pair flying to Morocco within the build-up to Christmas, however those that are poised to compete have confirmed to be necessary figures for the Manchester United boss.

Here’s who the Red Devils can be with out for AFCON.

After recording an all-time low for Premier League targets final season, Man Utd had no selection however to rejuvenate their frontline in the summertime.

Before touchdown Benjamin Šeško to usurp Rasmus Højlund, the membership opted for confirmed performers on English shores who’d loved excellent particular person campaigns in 2024–25.

Bryan Mbeumo adopted Matheus Cunha by means of the door, and the Cameroonian worldwide has been a mainstay on the proper aspect of Amorim’s entrance three. His work in October earned him Premier League Player of the Month honours, and the winger’s nice run of type continued with a tidy headed end towards Spurs on Saturday.

Mbeumo leads United’s scoring charts with six targets, so Amorim’s concern for when the event rolls round is considerably justified. The former Brentford star is representing a Cameroon aspect that aren’t anticipated so as to add to their 5 AFCON triumphs in Morocco.

While Cameroon are anticipated to progress into the knockout phases, a deep run could also be past them. Thus, there’s an opportunity for the winger to return initially of the brand new yr, with Premier League fixtures scheduled towards rivals Leeds United and Burnley on January 4 and seven, respectively. There’s the Manchester Derby to contemplate on January 18, too.

Unfortunately for Amorim, Mbeumo’s best suited alternative can be on the event. Instead, Mason Mount will possible get pleasure from an uptick in minutes, however United will desperately want Cunha and Šeško to remain match.

United’s right-hand aspect is about to look significantly much less dynamic over the festive interval.

Amad was one of many only a few brilliant sparks for the Red Devils final season, and he’s impressively taken to the wing-back perform inside Amorim’s framework, even when his defensive work usually leaves a lot to be desired.

He was used within the entrance three on Saturday, although, and teed up Mbeumo for the opening objective in north London. The week earlier than at Nottingham Forest, Amad scored his first objective of the season and was an impressive Murillo clearance away from successful it for the Red Devils on the demise.

The 23-year-old has been out and in of the Ivory Coast squad since he made his debut in 2021, however Amad did rating objective quantity two for his nation through the October break. The type he’s proven this season means he’s trending in the direction of being part of Emerse Faé’s squad, and the holders are projected to compete fiercely for his or her crown in North Africa.

Thus, Amorim might be with out Amad for a month. Like Mbeumo, a possible various is about to be away on the event. Diogo Dalot and Patrick Dorgu are prone to be United’s wingback pairing till Amad returns.

The Moroccan worldwide has been a sturdy sufficient operator since he joined Man Utd from Bayern Munich in 2024. Mazraoui is not any famous person, however he’s a reliable one-on-one defender who affords technical safety within the build-up.

However, Amorim’s need to evolve means he’s performed a extra diminished function for the Red Devils this season. He’s made simply 5 appearances and began three video games.

Mazraoui has represented his nation 33 instances since his debut in 2018, and was part of Walid Regragui’s history-making Morocco squad that reached the World Cup semifinals in 2022. While he’s added simply two caps in 2025, it’d be a shock if he was omitted by Regragui for AFCON subsequent month.

If he’s chosen, the versatile full-back is about to be away at some point of the event. The hosts are the favourites to win AFCON for simply the second time, having crashed out within the spherical of 16 two years in the past. A tame group has virtually assured their development into the knockouts.

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