Noussair Mazraoui will return to Man United this week but he will do so after tasting defeat in the Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday.
Noussair Mazraoui
Noussair Mazraoui suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the AFCON final(Image: )
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Manchester United have granted Noussair Mazraoui extra time off after the versatile full-back's Africa Cup of Nations campaign ended in heartbreak on Sunday night, with Morocco losing a dramatic and controversial final to Senegal.
Mazraoui is expected to report back to Carrington by the end of the week and could yet make the squad when United face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The fact that the game is in a later spot over the weekend gives the 28-year-old time to prove he is ready for a club return.
Fitness shouldn't be a problem for Mazraoui, who featured in all seven of Morocco's games in a tournament they hosted, playing a total of 628 minutes, including 98 in the chaotic final in Rabat.
Mazraoui started the first two games of the tournament at right-back but moved to left-back once Achraf Hakimi was fit. He played the 120 minutes in a semi-final win against Nigeria last Wednesday.
The final ended in controversy, with Senegal furious at having a late winner disallowed and then storming off the pitch when Morocco were awarded a penalty deep into injury time. The players returned after a 16-minute delay, but Brahim Diaz then chipped his penalty straight into the hands of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Senegal midfielder Pape Gueye scored a stunning winner early in extra time, with Morocco unable to find an equaliser. Mazraoui was substituted in the first period of extra-time as the hosts threw on attacking reinforcements.
Mazraoui will find plenty has changed on his return to Carrington later this week, with Michael Carrick having replaced Ruben Amorim in the dugout. He had been playing as one of three centre-backs before departing for AFCON in mid-December, but is now expected to compete with Diogo Dalot and Luke Shaw for the full-back positions.
Bryan Mbeumo and Amad returned from AFCON duty last Wednesday, getting in three training sessions under Carrick and his new coaching team before starting against Manchester City at the weekend, but their quarter-final exits weren't as dramatic as Morroco's defeat in the final.