‘I love the fact that we have so many African players … until the Africa Cup of Nations starts. Then it’s: ‘Oh my God!’” Jürgen Klopp is not the only Premier League manager who will have Afcon on his mind over the coming weeks. With the delayed 33rd edition of the continental showpiece due to begin in Cameroon on 9 January, planning for the absence of up to 40 players from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Wilfried Zaha during one of the most intense periods of the domestic season will present a major headache for several.
Leeds, Norwich, Newcastle and Tottenham are the only Premier League clubs who will not be affected, with the rest potentially without key players for up to six Premier League matches and two in the FA Cup. With Liverpool in line to be missing Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané and Naby Keïta for a run of fixtures that includes trips to Chelsea and Arsenal, no wonder Klopp was so opposed to the switch.
This story is from the November 29, 2021 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the November 29, 2021 edition of The Guardian.
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