Afcon headache for English Premiership managers

LONDON. – The African Cup of Nations is among the most colourful and joyous football tournaments in the world, and 2017’s edition in Gabon promises to be no different.But for English Premier League managers, the competition’s scheduling in January can present something of a headache.

A team may have gathered some momentum over the Christmas and New Year period, only to then be stripped of three or four key players for a number of weeks.

The 31st Africa Cup of Nations is set to take place in the West African nation between January 14 and February 5, with all but five of the 16 participants likely to feature Premier League-based players.

One of the worst affected will be Leicester City, with Claudio Ranieri set to lose Algerians Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani, plus Ghanaians Jeffrey Schlupp and Daniel Amartey at a crucial stage of the campaign.

The quartet are likely to miss games against Chelsea, Southampton, Burnley and Manchester United, plus FA Cup fixtures, if they make their squads.

Sunderland, who already find themselves deep in the relegation mire, are also set to be adversely affected by the AFCON.

Papy Djilobodji of Senegal, Wahbi Khazri of Morocco, Didier N’Dong of Gabon and Lamine Kone of the Ivory Coast are all set to jet off for the tournament, leaving David Moyes short.

Manchester United are due to lose the services of Ivorian defender Eric Bailly for the month, while Arsenal will be shorn of Egypt’s Mohamed Elneny.

Liverpool will be without their influential forward Sadio Mane, almost certain to be called up to the Senegal squad, and the Cameroon defender Joel Matip.

West Ham will be keen to move themselves away from the Premier League relegation battle by the time they lose four players to the Cup of Nations.

Andre Ayew of Ghana, Sofiane Feghouli of Algeria and the Senegal pair Diafra Sakho and Cheikhou Kouyate are due to be called-up.

Among the other Premier League stars potentially heading to Gabon are Everton’s £30m man Yannick Bolasie, set to be part of the DR Congo squad, Southampton’s Moroccan Sofiane Boufal and Manchester City’s bit-part Ivorian Yaya Toure.

HOW MANY PLAYERS COULD YOUR CLUB BE MISSING?

Arsenal: Mohamed Elneny (Egypt)

Bournemouth: Benik Afobe (DR Congo), Max Gradel (Ivory Coast)

Crystal Palace: Bakary Sako (Mali)

Everton: Yannick Bolasie (DR Congo), Idrissa Gueye (Senegal), Oumar Niasse (Senegal)

Hull City: Dieumerci Mbokani (DR Congo), Ahmed Elmohamady (Egypt)

Leicester City: Riyad Mahrez (Algeria), Islam Slimani (Algeria), Jeffrey Schlupp (Ghana), Daniel Amartey (Ghana)

Liverpool: Sadio Mane (Senegal), Joel Matip (Cameroon)

Manchester City: Yaya Toure (Ivory Coast)

Manchester United: Eric Bailly (Ivory Coast)

Middlesbrough: Adama Traore (Mali)

Southampton: Sofiane Boufal (Morocco)