Man Utd have not confirmed whether Bryan Mbeumo, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui will be available against Bournemouth.
Amorim is hoping for another win on Monday.(Image: 2025 Manchester United FC)
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Three days out from facing Bournemouth in the Premier League, Ruben Amorim did not know whether Bryan Mbeumo, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui would be available for selection for Manchester United due to their involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations, which will begin next weekend.
Amorim explained at his pre-match press conference: "We are still in conversations with national teams, the game is Monday, they are training and we are trying to prepare all scenarios.
"It’s frustrating, but at the same time, nobody knows who is going to play, so it’s a good thing. We have players to cope with everything. With a long week you can work on several stuff to prepare the game."
Amorim added he would learn which players would be available by Saturday at the latest. "Every national team has their ideas about when they want the players," he said. "I expect today or maybe tomorrow to have a decision, but we are waiting until the last moment to choose the best team."
Not knowing which players will be in the squad has been perceived as a negative, but it was interesting to hear Amorim suggest it could be a "good thing" because Bournemouth have approached the fixture knowing the personnel that United will have at their disposal on Monday evening.
That was the message on Saturday morning from a club source, who said at this stage it's a benefit not to disclose the decision on whether Mbeumo, Amad and Mazraoui will be involved.
United have an element of unpredictability up their sleeve ahead of the game, which has been seen internally at Carrington as a small tactical advantage in the build-up to Bournemouth's visit.
FIFA confirmed December 15 is the release window for players involved in AFCON, but United play Bournemouth on that day, which has created uncertainty about the trio set to compete at the tournament.
Despite Amorim being unable to clarify the situation on Friday and an element of kidology from United sources, it seems likely that Mbeumo, Amad and Mazraoui will all be involved.
Morocco play the opening game of the tournament against Comoros on December 21, however, Mazraoui has not been a regular starter for his nation and deferring his call-up by a day should not be an issue.
Mbeumo and Amad are in action for Cameroon and the Ivory Coast respectively on Christmas Eve, so it also appears likely they will be given the green light to feature against Bournemouth.
And the precedent set with Andre Onana in 2024 suggests United should reach an agreement to defer their flights to the tournament, as the goalkeeper joined up late with Cameroon at the last AFCON.
Onana played against Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup, and against Tottenham, in January 2024 (the tournament starts earlier this year) and travelled to the tournament using a private jet.
It's important that United have their strongest squad available against Bournemouth. The game is an opportunity for Amorim to win back-to-back league games for just the second time in his tenure, and the chance to build momentum in what can often be a make-or-break month due to the busy schedule.
Although United won 2-1 against Manchester City last December, the month was otherwise bleak for Amorim. United crashed out of the Carabao Cup against Tottenham, were hammered 3-0 by Bournemouth at Old Trafford, lost against Wolves on Boxing Day and were beaten by Newcastle before New Year's Eve.
United must enjoy a better December this year, and they will have a better chance of securing a win against Bournemouth if Mbeumo, Amad and Mazraoui are available for selection again.