Just three days before Manchester United's game against Bournemouth, manager Ruben Amorim did not know whether Bryan Mbeumo, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui would be available for selection due to their potential involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins next weekend.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Amorim revealed: "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."
The Portuguese manager indicated he would discover which players would be at his disposal by Saturday at the earliest.
"Every national team has their ideas about when they want the players," he explained. "I expect today or maybe tomorrow to have a decision, but we are waiting until the last moment to choose the best team."
Whilst the uncertainty over player availability might typically be viewed as problematic, Amorim suggested it could prove advantageous since Bournemouth are approaching Monday's fixture without knowing United's likely XI.
This sentiment was echoed by the club on Saturday morning, with a source telling the Manchester Evening News that keeping the decision regarding Mbeumo, Amad and Mazraoui under wraps could actually work in United's favour.
It means United have a wildcard up their sleeve ahead of the match, which has been viewed as a minor tactical advantage in the run-up to Bournemouth's arrival.
FIFA confirmed that December 15 is the release date for players participating in AFCON, but United are scheduled to play Bournemouth on that date, leading to uncertainty about the trio set to compete in the tournament.
Despite Amorim's inability to shed light on the situation on Friday and some gamesmanship from United sources, it seems probable that Mbeumo, Amad and Mazraoui will all take part.
Morocco kick off the tournament against Comoros on December 21, but Mazraoui hasn't been a regular starter for his country and delaying his call-up by a day shouldn't pose a problem.
Mbeumo and Amad are set to play for Cameroon and the Ivory Coast respectively on Christmas Eve, so it also seems likely they'll be given the go-ahead to face Bournemouth.
It's crucial that United field their best team against the Cherries. The game will present Amorim with a chance to secure back-to-back Premier League victories for only the second time during his reign.
A win would also help United to gather momentum in a month often seen as pivotal due to its packed fixture list.
Their prospects of clinching victory against Bournemouth will be significantly boosted if Mbeumo, Amad and Mazraoui are available for selection.