Ruben Amorim: Why Manchester United Boss is not Worried About Losing AFCON-Bound Trio

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim is bracing for a challenging period as key players Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo are expected to depart for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The tournament, scheduled from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, coincides with a packed and demanding Premier League schedule.

United faces crucial matches against Aston Villa, Newcastle, Wolves, Leeds, Burnley, and rivals Manchester City during this time, in addition to a potential FA Cup third-round tie.

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Both Mbeumo, representing Cameroon, and Amad, playing for Ivory Coast, have been integral to their national teams in recent international windows, making their call-ups highly likely. The potential inclusion of Noussair Mazraoui in the Moroccan squad could further deplete United's options on the right flank.

Mbeumo, who joined from Brentford last summer, has been a standout performer under Amorim. The forward has already netted four league goals, including a brace against Brighton, and provided one assist.

Meanwhile, Amad has developed a strong partnership with Mbeumo on the right wing in Amorim's 3-4-3 formation, offering both energy and width to the team's attack.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the Nottingham Forest match, Amorim acknowledged the difficulty but remained optimistic about his squad's depth.

“We have time to suffer with that. We are going to struggle a little bit which we already knew,” said the Manchester United coach.

“It is going to be an opportunity because when I watch training there are players that should be playing but it's hard with one game [a week]. They will have the opportunity to help us.”

United are without European football commitments this season which has seen their workload reduced with just one game a week while the rest of their top four rivals feature either in the Champions League or Europa League in midweek.