Home of football statistics and historyMany of the Premier League’s biggest superstars hail from the African continent and as a result, a number of key players will be heading to the African Cup of Nations in the new year.
The tournament will run from mid-January to mid-February, which means some clubs will be without key players in the most congested part of the season.
The cohort jetting off to the Ivory Coast next year at the expense of their participation in a number of Premier League fixtures include former PFA Player of the Year winners alongside recent blockbuster signings.
Mohamed Salah
Every time AFCON comes around, Mohamed Salah is the biggest name missing temporarily from English football. The Egyptian is undoubtedly Liverpool’s star man, but in the early periods of 2024, his full focus will be on his international priorities with Egypt.
Liverpool are set for an uncertain season as they look to return to the UEFA Champions League for 2024/25 following the departure of many key players. According to sports betting markets, the Reds are one of the favourites to finish in the top four spots this season, but whether or not they meet their aims could be hugely dependent on their ability to win games in the absence of their key man.
Liverpool began their season well as they took 10 points from the first four games. Difficult away fixtures to Chelsea and Newcastle United have bypassed them, but setting up on a number of occasions with a man they cannot replace in the starting eleven will be a whole new challenge regardless of the opposition.
Jurgen Klopp’s team have seen their seasons be derailed in the past due to AFCON duties, with Salah being the main miss in mid-season periods that the tournament has interrupted the club season.
This time around the team does have much improved attacking depth compared to past campaigns, but they certainly lack a like-for-like replacement for the Egyptian. His international endeavours will certainly impact Liverpool – whether they have to adapt to a new system temporarily or simply deploy a makeshift option in his role.
Andre Onana
Manchester United’s huge summer investment between the sticks is another superstar who is set to jet off to the Ivory Coast for the tournament beginning in January. His nation Cameroon has secured qualification for the next edition of AFCON and he will definitely be their first-choice shot-stopper in the major continental competition.
Onana has started well at United and has finally provided the Red Devils with a modern ball-playing option in goal. Without him, Erik Ten Hag’s side will have to resort to backup option Altay Bayindir. The Turkish keeper signed from Fenerbahce is certainly promising, but he has yet to prove himself in the top European leagues.
There is set to be huge pressure on the shoulders of United’s newly signed backup in the new year. The January period especially often defines teams’ seasons with so many fixtures coming in a short space of time.
The replacements for Salah and Onana’s places in the North West giants’ starting elevens will have to hit the ground running if both teams are to cope with the absences of key men at the beginning of 2024.
Liverpool are set to temporarily lose the services of arguably the best player in the league. Meanwhile United are losing one of the leading goalkeepers who is absolutely vital to their style and rhythms of play. Both sides have seen huge changes to their dynamics over the summer, but in the new year, they could face their most challenging hurdles yet – finding a solution could be vital to both teams’ UCL hopes.
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