Manchester United face their most challenging squad situation of the season as Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui all depart for the Africa Cup of Nations, leaving Ruben Amorim to navigate the festive period with significantly reduced options.
The departures
Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon): United's top scorer with six Premier League goals this season. The forward also leads the squad in expected goals (5.6 xG) and is their third-most prolific chance creator from open play. His absence removes United's most reliable attacking threat.
Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast): The winger has been instrumental in United's attacking play, leading the squad with 25 chances created from open play. Amad played his final game before departure against Bournemouth on Monday night, scoring the opening goal in the dramatic 4-4 draw.
Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco): While the full-back has played fewer minutes this season (442 in the league), his departure further thins Amorim's defensive options at a time when Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt remain injury doubts.
Fixtures affected
United face at least six league matches without the trio, starting with Sunday's trip to Aston Villa. The schedule includes:
Dec 21: Aston Villa (A) Dec 26: Burnley (H) Dec 29: Leeds United (A) Jan 4: Wolves (H) Jan 14: Southampton (H) Jan 18: Brighton (A)
Should Ivory Coast, Cameroon or Morocco reach the latter stages, these absences could extend further into January.
Amorim's response
Speaking after the Bournemouth draw, Amorim acknowledged the challenges ahead: "That is the fun part of being a manager – we will try to find solutions with the players that we have. We will try to find a way to score goals in a different way."
The Portuguese manager faces immediate decisions. Without Mbeumo's goals and Amad's creativity, United's attacking structure requires reconfiguration. Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha will need to shoulder greater responsibility, while fringe players may earn unexpected opportunities.
Silver lining
United's AFCON-period fixtures are among the more forgiving in the league. Only Aston Villa (currently third) represents a top-half opponent during the affected matches. The schedule against Burnley, Leeds, Wolves, Southampton and Brighton offers opportunities to maintain momentum despite the absences.
Players could return as early as January 1 if their nations exit at the group stage, though Ivory Coast (defending champions) and Morocco (hosts and favourites) are expected to progress deep into the tournament.
