Ruben Amorim will suffer 'serious trouble' when he loses his best Man Utd partnership in the coming weeks
Man United could have a serious problem coming up over the winter which could make Ruben Amorim’s life much more difficult.
Man United look to finally be gaining momentum under Ruben Amorim, one year on from when he joined at Old Trafford from Sporting CP. It hasn’t been an easy ride for the United boss, with many fans waking up on some days expecting him to be sacked. However, the Red Devils are now unbeaten in five games.
In their last game, they drew with Tottenham, and really should have won, thanks to goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Matthijs De Ligt. They are now just one point away from the top four in the Premier League, and will hope to come out of the international break the way they went into it.
However, there is going to be a problem coming up for Ruben Amorim in the Winter as the Africa Cup of Nations is due to begin on December 21 and run for almost a month until January 18. United are set to lose three players, which could make a huge impact for Amorim.
Man United set to lose Mbeumo, Mazraoui and Diallo
The three United players that are set to leave during AFCON are Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo, and Noussair Mazraoui, who will each get a call-up from Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Morocco individually.
The biggest issue for Amorim is Mbeumo and Diallo, who have been a formidable partnership on the right wing for United in recent weeks. Mbeumo scored his fourth goal in four games against Tottenham, and much of his success has been helped by Diallo playing the wing-back role alongside him.
When United lose both of them, Amorim will have some very tough selection decisions to make with how he can replace the pair, especially considering the fact that Mazraoui would have been a viable option to replace Diallo.
The trio will likely be out for a while too, as the three nations are all among the favourites for AFCON, so it may cause Amorim some serious trouble when he is drawing up his starting XI every week.
Mbeumo receives Mo Salah comparison
Mbeumo has been simply excellent since he joined from Brentford in the summer. He has scored five goals and provided one assist in the Premier League this season, arguably being Man United’s best player so far.
His recent performances have warranted a lot of praise for the 25-year-old, with former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves comparing him to Liverpool star Mo Salah in terms of his attacking talent. Hargreaves said on TNT Sports: “I think his biggest attribute is that he gives quality.
“He reminds me a little bit of Mo Salah in and around the box. When he gets it, he has a clear picture of exactly what he wants. He almost shows no emotion, business in and around the box. You can play into his feet; he can dribble. Technically, I don't think he gets enough credit.
“People talk about his goal-scoring, rightly so, but he's an exceptional football player. People come to Manchester United, huge names, and struggle with pressure. He just sits there super calm, super chill, top scorer this season."
Mbeumo leaving for AFCON will be a huge loss for Amorim, especially considering that his partnership with Diallo will need to be completely replaced on the right-hand side. The likes of Mason Mount, Diogo Dalot, Luke Shaw and Matheus Cunha will need to step up in their absence.