Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea, Man Utd, Leicester City, Arsenal, Crystal Palace are set to lose one or more players to the biennial Africa showpiece. Whom will it affect most?
The 2021 CAF Africa Nations cup was initially scheduled for June and july, 2021, but it was postponed to January 2022 due to bad climatic conditions during this period.
That decision has a ripple effect on premier league clubs, and other European clubs as some of their key players will not be available for some vital games. This may affect their ambition for the season.
AFCON will arguably affect Liverpool the most. Three of their best players will not be in action for couple of games due to participation in AFCON 2021. Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Naby Keita are expected to be in Cameroon by January 3.
Mo Salah, Egypt, has been dangerous this season with 15 goals and 9 assists in 19 appearances in the premier league. He currently tops the EPL goal-scoring chart. He also tops the EPL assist chart with nine assists.
Sadio Mane too has been phenomenon this season. The 2019 joint premier league golden boot winner currently has seven goals in 19 matches with one assist.
Naby Keita is expected to represent Guinea in Cameroon. The 26-year old midfielder has two goals and one assist to his name in 10 appearances. The Guinean has an average pass of 33 passes per match, and a pass completion rate of 86%. He has 77% successful tackle so far this season.
Liverpool are currently occupying third position, trailing Man City the current league leaders with 9 points, with one game in hand.
Therefore, to have a chance of winning the premier league title this season, they can’t afford to drop points in the next couple of games. Unfortunately, they will need to do that without their three top players- Mane, Salah, and Keita. The reds have to rely on Firmino, Diogo Jota, Origi for the goals.
Crystal palace are set to play Millwall, Brighton, Liverpool without 4 key players, which includes Jordan Ayew, Ghana, Jeffery Schlupp, Ghana, Cheikhou Kouyate, Senegal, and Wifred Zaha, Ivory Coast.
Jeffery and Kouyate have forged a formidable partnership in the midfield this season. Patrick Vieira will count on Luka Milivojevic and Jairo Riedewald to fill the void.
The attacking options is now short of two important players, and the Arsenal legend will hope the duo, Zaha and Ayew have an injury-free Afcon.
Leicester city is another club that will be affected by Afcon. They will be without the Nigeria duo, Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho, and the Ghanaian, Daniel Amartey. They have been very instrumental for the club this season.
The Foxes will also be without the Senegalese midfielder Nampalys Mendy against Watford, Everton, Burley and Brighton (all games in January). These players would have play a key role in this run of games. But, now, Leicester city will hope for the best.
Elneny, Egypt, has featured fewer times for the Gunners this season with just 5 appearances. Arteta prefers the Xhaka and Thomas Partey, Ghana, partnership.
The bad news is Thomas Partey with 15 caps so far is representing Ghana at the tournament, and Elneny too will be unavailable.
With two of the key midfielders set to represent their countries at Afcon, Arteta will likely play the 22-year old, Albert Sambi Lokonga. Arsenal will also be without the out of favor Gabon forward, Aubameyang.
Man City will only be without, Riyad Mahrez, Algeria. The winger is a key player for Man City this season, scoring 5 goals in 15 matches and providing 4 assists.
Mahrez will not be available for an important Chelsea game on January 15. That will be a concern for Man City. However, Man City are capable of coping without him with their squad depth.
With the absence of Eric Baily in January, Man Utd will have to hope Varane, Lindelof or Maguire stay fit for the upcoming run of games.
Chelsea will be without their first choice goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy. Fortunately for the blues, Kepa who has since be relegated to second choice goalkeeper has been in good form lately.
He would replace Mendy between the sticks for Chelsea premier league games, FA cup third round, EFL cup semi-final versus Tottenham in January.
Other premier league teams that will lose players to Afcon 2021 includes Burley, Brentford, Wolves, West Ham, Aston Villa, Everton, and Watford.
|
Clubs |
Players | Country |
| Burley | Maxwell Cornet | Ivory Coast |
| Wolverhampton | Romain Saiss
Willy Boly |
Morocco
Ivory Coast |
| Aston Villa | Mahmoud Trezeguet
Marvelous Nakamba Bertrand Traore |
Egypt
Zimbabwe Burkina faso |
| Brentford | Frank Onyeka
Julian Jeanvier |
Nigeria
Guinea |
| Watford | Ismaila Sarr (injured,but named)
Adam Masina William Troost-Ekong |
Senegal
Morocco Nigeria |
| Brighton | Yves Bissouma | Mali |
| Southampton | Moussa Djenepo | Mali |
| West Ham united | Said Benrahma | Algeria |
| Everton | Alex Iwobi | Nigeria |
