Manchester United trio Bryan Mbeumo, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui have jetted off to the Africa Cup of Nations and will be unavalible for Ruben Amorim across the next few weeks
Manchester United's Bryan Mbeumo and Amad will be competing at Afcon
Manchester United's Bryan Mbeumo and Amad will be competing at Afcon
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Manchester United are set to be without three key players across the next few weeks with Bryan Mbeumo, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui all jetting off to the Africa Cup of Nations. The tournament in Morocco kicks off on Sunday with the host nation taking on Comoros. The final takes place in Rabat on Sunday, January 18.
Many United fans will be wondering when their three stars could return. Morocco are tipped to clinch their first Afcon title since 1976, as per a new AFCON Supercomputer prediction.
The forecast by AFCON betting experts at BookmakersCameroun.com suggests that the host nation will triumph over Senegal with a 1-0 victory in the final. That would mean that United and Morocco's Mazraoui won't be available for Reds boss Ruben Amorim until an away clash against Arsenal on January 25.
Meanwhile, Mbeumo's Cameroon are predicted to fall at the group stages - meaning he could be available for United again away at Leeds on January 4, should that come to pass.
The Supercomputer also predicts that Senegal will oust Amad's Ivory Coast in the semi-finals with a resounding 3-0 win. However, he would still not be available for the Manchester derby on January 17 as that date falls on the third-placed playoff - which Ivory Coast are predicted to lose to Uganda on penalties.
Therefore, the prediction reckons Amad is also likely to return at a similar time to Mazraoui for the Arsenal game in late January.
In what could be the tournament's biggest upset, Egypt and their star player Mohamed Salah are predicted to fall to Comoros with a 1-0 loss in the round of 16.
South Africa and Algeria, both of whom have qualified for next year's World Cup, are expected to reach the quarter-finals, while Tunisia, another World Cup participant, is predicted to miss out on the knockout stages.
Amorim is going to have to find a solution with Mbeumo, Amad and Mazraoui out for the foreseeable future and former United defender Paul Parker believes it will be a very difficult task.
Amad looks on
Amad is one of the Man United players set to jet off to the Africa Cup of Nations
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He said: "It is impossible for Man United to cope with the loss of Mbeumo when he leaves for the AFCON. They simply can't. They have no one close to his level, so they will struggle without him.
"He is going to be a massive miss, and I can't see how they can do anything without him. We have to remember that he is one of the best players in the league, and he is definitely the best player from Manchester United.
"He is seriously scary on that right hand side, but who should replace him? Amad Diallo is gone as well. Will they play Mason Mount or Zirkzee there? Gosh, I can't imagine how that is going to look."
"Of course, Amad will be a massive miss as well," Parker added. "Man United might have to change their whole approach, because nothing will come from that right hand side without them. Amad is a big threat and we can see that in every game. No one is able to take on their opponent like him, so no one can replace him.
"Combined with both of them being out, that is going to be a nightmare. It will be a true nightmare, and I don't really have faith that other players can step up to their level, which is normally expected at a big club like Manchester United."