Dipo Olowookere
With less than a week before the 34th Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, the English Premier League will make do without a host of top African stars who will be competing for the continent’s biggest trophy.
Teams progressing to the finals could see some of these players missing at least four matches, beginning scheduled FA Cup third-round fixtures.
The English Premier League draws players from all over the world, with some of those African players very important to their teams. It is the most competitive and lucrative league in the world, meaning scouts will be following the tournament keenly to lure the continent’s emerging talent to England. Betting fans will also be placing their wagers in all the matches through various bookmakers. With only a few days to go, fans can learn how to deposit in 1xBet, not only for AFCON matches but for other matches taking place across various parts of the globe.
Liverpool faces probably the biggest loss of all the EPL teams, despite losing only one player to the tournament. They will be without Egypt’s Mohammed Salah, a leading contender for the Golden Boot with 14 goals this season. The Reds boast an army of attackers, but Salah has been instrumental for Jurgen Klopp. He signed off for the AFCON in style, scoring a brace against Newcastle last weekend, and will be a major absentee when Liverpool face Arsenal, Fulham, Bournemouth, and Chelsea.
On the other hand, Chelsea will be without Senegalese forward Nicklas Jackson, who, despite scoring seven goals, has experienced a mixed start to his Chelsea career.
Manchester United may have negotiated a longer stay for custodian Andre Onana, but they will not be with him after their clash against Tottenham on January 14. United will also be without Sofiane Amrabat and Amad Diallo, who will also be representing their countries in the one-month-long tournament.
Mohamed Elneny will be away for Arsenal, teaming up with Mo Salah for Egypt.
Nottingham Forest will be the most affected team in the league. Forest players away from international duty include Ola Aina (Nigeria), Serge Aurier (Ivory Coast), Willy Boly (Ivory Coast), Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal), Moussa Niakhate (Senegal), and Ibrahim Sangare (Ivory Coast).
Fulham will be without Senegalese Fode Ballo-Toure and the Nigerian duo of Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi, while fellow Londoners West Ham will miss Nayef Aguerd (Morocco) and Mohammed Kudus (Ghana). Injury-hit Tottenham face yet another challenge as Malian midfielder Bissouma and Senegalese Pape Matar Sarr have also joined their respective national team camps.
Among other Premier League teams, Everton, Luton, Crystal Palace, Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Chelsea will each lose one player. In contrast, Burnley, Manchester City, and Newcastle have no single player featuring in AFCON. A total of 32 English Premier League players will be at the Ivory Coast for the Africa Cup of Nations
