Two Manchester City stars to leave Etihad Stadium for African Cup of Nations | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola and Manchester City will have to compete without two of their prominent African stars as they jet off for international competition.

As City continue preparations for a crucial Premier League trip to Crystal Palace, the club have been riding momentum from a dominant 3-0 win over Sunderland and a statement Champions League victory away at Real Madrid.

However, squad adjustments add a layer of complexity to Pep Guardiola’s planning, particularly during a congested winter schedule. The absences arrive at a time when City’s form appears to be peaking, and Guardiola’s side will now be tested for depth, adaptability, and tactical flexibility across several domestic and European fronts.

With fixtures arriving thick and fast throughout December and January, the timing of international call-ups could create opportunities for other members of the squad to step into elevated roles or solidify their own positions in the squad.

Compounding the challenge further is the overlap between the African Cup of Nations calendar and some of Manchester City’s most demanding fixtures of the winter period, potentially stretching Pep Guardiola’s options in both full-back and attacking rotations.

Now, it has been confirmed by assistant coach Kolo Toure that both Rayan Ait-Nouri and Omar Marmoush have been selected for international duty at the upcoming African Cup of Nations to represent Algeria and Egypt respectively.

City will release both for international action following the Premier League clash away at Crystal Palace, meaning they will miss the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Brentford and a home clash in the top-flight against West Ham prior to the start of the tournament.

For Ait-Nouri and Algeria, they will embark on a Group E schedule of ties against Sudan, Burkina Faso, and Equatorial Guinea. As for Marmoush and Egypt, they will take on Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Angola in their three matches across Group B.

Should neither player manager to progress out of the group stage, they could return to availability for Manchester City as soon as Sunday 4 January when Chelsea travel to the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League.

Progression into the Round of 16 would see either player miss the aforementioned clash against the West London side, as well as a midweek Premier League meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday 7 January.

Reaching the quarter-final stage of the African Cup of Nations would then see the FA Cup third round tie against Exeter City ruled out of contention for either player, while reaching the semi-final would likely see them miss a Manchester derby at Old Trafford on Saturday 17 January.

Finally, the third-place play-off and Final of AFCON will be held on 17 January and 18 January respectively, meaning either player could return to Manchester City duties for the UEFA Champions League trip against Bodo/Glimt – although any celebrations would rule that fixture out of contention, too.

As such, should either Rayan Ait-Nouri or Omar Marmoush – or perhaps both – go all the way in the African Cup of Nations, the first game back for them at Manchester City could be the Premier League clash with Wolves at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday 24 January.

Offering his thoughts on the absence of both players, Kolo Toure told a media conference this week, “Of course, they’re two really important players. If it’s up to the manager, he’d want to play every player, as we know. He loves the players.

“Every time he has to make a decision for a player to be left out, it does hurt him a lot. But for sure, we’ll miss Omar and Ait-Nouri for sure, but we’re strong enough to cope as a squad if they’re absent.”

Looking ahead, Pep Guardiola will weigh up options at left-back and across the forward line. Nico O’Reilly is expected to hold down the fort while Josko Gvardiol and Nathan Ake could be given minutes on the left should rotation be required for the England international.

Savinho and Oscar Bobb, or perhaps even highly-rated Academy youngster Divine Mukasa, may move higher up the pecking order in attacking roles during Omar Marmoush’s absence for the club.

The departures could also influence January transfer planning. While Manchester City are not typically active mid-season, AFCON-linked absences combined with injuries elsewhere could prompt additional short-term considerations, particularly if the squad experiences further strain.

Ultimately, much will depend on how far Algeria and Egypt progress. A short stay at the tournament gives Manchester City a lift, but a deep run for either nation would force Pep Guardiola to navigate several high-profile fixtures without two key players.