Having arrived at Manchester United on transfer deadline day, Sofyan Amrabat has not had the smoothest start to life at Old Trafford.
The midfielder has initially joined the Red Devils on a rather expensive £8.5m loan deal until next summer, with Man Utd having the option to make the switch permanent for a further £21.4m.
However, he has joined a club in crisis. Having shaken off an injury since first arriving, the Moroccan has struggled to get to grips with the Premier League. In fact, Erik ten Hag has hooked the Fiorentina loanee at half-time in Man Utd’s last two matches.
While yet to get up to speed, Amrabat will still be missed in Manchester when he departs for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. With a lack of options in the centre of the park, the 27-year-old’s absence will be felt at Old Trafford.
But just how many games will Amrabat miss due to 2023 AFCON?
Despite being called 2023 AFCON, the tournament actually commences in 2024 after delays as a result of adverse weather conditions. Beginning in Cote d’Ivoire on 13 January, the competition will run for just under a month, concluding on 11 February.
With 24 teams across six groups of four, the maximum number of matches a side can play at the tournament is seven, with the minimum being the three group stage games.
Having been drawn into Group F, Morocco will face three different group stage opponents. First up is a tie with Tanzania, followed by matches against DR Congo and Zambia, with the nation’s games taking place between 17 January and 24 January.
Morocco will be among the favourites for the competition, especially after finishing fourth at the 2022 World Cup. Amrabat is one of the country’s key performers, meaning he is likely to get some significant minutes under his belt.
Man Utd’s Premier League games during 2023 AFCON
|
Date / Kick-off time (GMT) |
Fixture |
|---|---|
|
14/01/24 – 16:30 |
Man Utd vs Tottenham |
|
30/01/24 – 19:45 |
Wolves vs Man Utd |
|
03/02/24 – 15:00 |
Man Utd vs West Ham |
|
10/02/24 – 15:00 |
Aston Villa vs Man Utd |
The only Premier League game Amrabat is guaranteed to miss for Man Utd is the clash with Tottenham Hotspur on 14 January, three days before Morocco’s tournament opener.
However, should Morocco progress to the final, Amrabat could be absent for three more league matches. Those would be trips to the Midlands to face Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa, sandwiched in between a home clash with West Ham United.
With the final on 11 February, Amrabat would be in line for a Premier League return against Luton Town on 17 February should he make it deep into the tournament.
Man Utd’s potential FA Cup games during 2023 AFCON
|
Round |
Date |
|---|---|
|
Fourth round |
27/01/24 |
With Amrabat likely available for Man Utd‘s third round tie on 6 January 2024, despite the Red Devils not knowing their opponents yet, the midfielder could miss the following round should United progress.
That would, of course, also be dependent on Morocco’s progression, although they would only have to make it out of the group for Amrabat to miss the FA Cup fourth round.
Man Utd’s potential Carabao Cup games during 2023 AFCON
|
Round |
Date |
|---|---|
|
Semi-final first leg |
w/c 08/01/24 |
|
Semi-final second leg |
w/c 21/01/24 |
With Man Utd currently in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, there is the possibility Amrabat misses a couple of matches if United progress in the competition.
Should the Red Devils make it to the semi-final, there is a decent chance Amrabat is out for the first leg, which will take place just a day or two before 2023 AFCON begins.
If United make it to the final four, Amrabat will certainly miss the second leg, with Morocco still in the midst of their group stage campaign at that point.
Man Utd’s potential European games during 2023 AFCON
|
Round |
Date |
|---|---|
|
Champions League R16 or Europa League R32 |
w/c 12/02/24 |
If Man Utd finish in the top two of their Champions League group, Amrabat could miss their round of 16 first leg should he progress to the final of 2023 AFCON. The same applies if the Red Devils finish third and drop into the Europa League.
With the final of the tournament on 11 February, Amrabat wouldn’t be able to return for Man Utd’s European clash in such a short time period. However, should he be knocked out of AFCON earlier, he would likely be able to feature.
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