How AFCON could reshape Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United | OneFootball

Manchester United’s season continues to lurch between relative highs and lows. Monday night’s 4-1 win at Wolves eased the frustration of a limp 1-1 home draw with struggling West Ham United in midweek.

Ruben Amorim’s inconsistent side are back in the Premier League’s top six and, somehow, still on course to hit this season’s target of securing European football.

Time and again this campaign, United have failed to build on promising positions. A three-match winning streak and a tantalising opportunity to break into the top tier of the table was followed by three games without a win and an embarrassing 1-0 defeat to ten-man Everton at Old Trafford.

The away win at Wolves – not without its obligatory wobble as United once again let a lead slip, this time against the worst side in the league – restored some optimism. But the entire right side of the starting XI that won at Molineux is about to disappear to the Africa Cup of Nations.

Right-sided centre-back Noussair Mazraoui, wing-back Amad Diallo and right-sided No.10 Bryan Mbeumo will shortly jet off to the international tournament in Morocco.

When will Manchester United players leave for AFCON?

AFCON runs from Sunday, 21 December 2025 until Sunday, 18 January 2026. FIFA’s mandatory release date for clubs to make players available is Monday, 15 December.

Unless United receive dispensation to delay call-ups from the Moroccan, Ivorian and Cameroonian federations, Mazraoui (Morocco), Amad (Ivory Coast) and Mbeumo (Cameroon) could all miss the club’s next Premier League fixture at home to Bournemouth on December 15.

Mazraoui’s Morocco open the tournament as hosts against Comoros on December 21, the same day United travel to Aston Villa, making him the most likely to miss out earliest. Ivory Coast and Cameroon do not play until Christmas Eve (December 24), so the club are hopeful Diallo and Mbeumo will at least be allowed to face Bournemouth before joining up with their nations.

Speaking after the victory over Wolves, Amorim admitted he was still unsure how much longer he would have them.

“The club is talking with the national teams,” he said. “I don’t know for sure, but we are doing our job and the national teams are talking with us and that is a good sign.”

What Manchester United matches will AFCON players miss?

If Morocco, Cameroon or Ivory Coast reach the AFCON final, any United players involved could miss the following Premier League fixtures:

Any player who features in the final may also miss the away trip to Arsenal on January 24, depending on how much recovery time the club allows.

The Premier League’s Fixture Difficulty Rater. Image: PremierLeague.com

Manchester United’s starting XI during AFCON

Amorim will have to reshuffle once Mbeumo, Amad and Mazraoui all depart for AFCON.

The biggest loss will arguably be Mbeumo. He is the club’s leading scorer this season with six goals and one of the first names on the teamsheet in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation.

Mason Mount and Matheus Cunha both prefer the left-sided No.10 role, but one will have to shift across to fill in for Mbeumo. Mount scored against Wolves and is beginning to resemble the player who helped Chelsea win the Champions League in 2021. It is likely he remains on the left, with Cunha – still yet to show his best at Old Trafford – sliding over to the right.

With new No.9 Benjamin Šeško still sidelined after the injury he picked up before November’s international break, Cunha is also an option as the main striker. However, Joshua Zirkzee led the line prior to the Wolves game and is expected to continue there until Šeško returns.

On the right flank, Amad has established himself as first-choice wing-back, with Diogo Dalot shifted over to the left. Once the Ivorian departs, it makes sense to restore Dalot to his favoured right-hand side, with Patrick Dorgu coming back into the XI on the left.

Mazraoui has recently nailed down the right-sided centre-back role after some below-par displays from Lenny Yoro against Everton and Crystal Palace. When the Moroccan heads to AFCON, Yoro is likely to return on the right of the back three.

With Matthijs de Ligt and Harry Maguire both injured, there could be further changes. Youngster Ayden Heaven has filled in as the central centre-back, but with Lisandro Martínez working his way back to fitness, the Argentine could soon reclaim his place at the heart of Amorim’s defence.

How Manchester United could line up during AFCON.

Image: buildlineup.com