Manchester United bounced back to form with a resounding 4-1 win over Wolves at Molineux on Monday night. The Red Devils enjoyed a comfortable game with Brian Mbeumo finding the net alongside Bruno Fernandes’ brace and Mason Mount’s goal. United also had Amad and Nousair Mazraoui contributing to the win, but that could pose a challenge for the Red Devils as the festival period approaches.
Mbeumo, Amadou and Mazrawi will all link up with their respective countries for this month’s African Cup of Nations (AFCON). The exact departure date is unknown, but it is expected to depart soon. After Wolves’ win, Ruben Amorim expressed optimism that the trio could be available for next Monday’s game against Bournemouth. He said: “The clubs are talking to the national team. Let’s wait until the middle of the week. We don’t know for sure, but we are doing our job and the national team are also talking to us, so that’s a good sign.”
Mazraoui’s Morocco will open the tournament on Sunday, December 21, coinciding with the Reds’ Premier League trip to Aston Villa. Meanwhile, Mbeumo’s Cameroon and Amado’s Ivory Coast will launch their AFCON campaigns a little later on Christmas Eve.
As Amorim has suggested, the trio’s departure schedule should be revealed this week, but plans to rebuild the team in their absence must be put in place immediately. With this in mind, Express Sport theorizes how the Red Devils could line up without their African trio in the coming weeks…
The first area to consider is the defense, where Mazraoui has been selected over Lenny Yolo in recent games. The Frenchman appeared to have secured a proper centre-back spot until poor performances against Everton and Crystal Palace saw him left out of the starting XI.
Yoro has been used as a substitute and is likely to return to the team following the Moroccan player’s departure. Once fully fit, Matthijs de Ligt will join the defense, but Aiden Haven is an option as Amorim has confessed that he does not know when the Dutchman will return, but Lisandro Martínez, who was an important player before his injury, is nearing full fitness and could therefore return to the team.
Next is the right wing-back position, which Amado currently holds. The Ivorian has been an outstanding wing-back for the club this season and has adapted well to the role.
Diogo Dalot has shown progress in recent games and a logical move would be to move him to his favored right flank and move Patrick Dorg back to the left.
Dalot and Dorg have split duties on the left, but the former should look more comfortable on the right in Amad’s absence. Perhaps the biggest loss is Mbeumo.
He returned to the scoresheet on Monday night to become the Reds’ top scorer in the Premier League with six goals, and tied for fifth overall in the top flight.
Matheus Cunha’s return from injury will be a boost for United as he will be able to play in the number 10 role alongside Mason Mount, who has been in great form since joining Old Trafford from Chelsea.
This leaves either Joshua Zirkzee or, if fit, first-choice No. 9 Benjamin Sesco at the forefront. Amorim suggested last month that Sesco’s return would coincide with the players’ departure for AFCON. The player’s agent has confirmed that his return will be “soon”, but it remains unclear whether the Slovenian will be fit for the first match without the trio. But from then on, he has to take the lead.
Manchester United are likely to start without the AFCON trio: Lamence. Yoro, Martinez, and Shaw. Dalot, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dorg. Mount, Cunha; Sesco
