BRYAN MBEUMO & AMAD DIALLOOUT: MAN UTD FACES CRISIS, EYES £65M ANTOINE SEMENYO SOLUTION
Man Utd loses Mbeumo and Amad for up to seven games, including the Manchester Derby. The urgent solution? Act fast on Antoine Semenyo's short-lived £65M release clause.
Manchester United has been on a great run lately, with only one loss in their last nine games across all competitions in 2025/26.
One of their players has scored six goals and made one assist in the Premier League, making him the team's top scorer so far.
The other player has one goal and two assists, often giving the team a creative edge on the right wing from his wing-back position.
The manager won't be able to count on either of them for the next few weeks, as both are heading off to play for their countries in the African Cup of Nations.
The African Cup of Nations always messes with clubs' plans, and United is about to feel that pain.
The tournament runs from December 21st to January 18th. If both their countries make it to the final, Mbeumo and Amad could miss up to seven games.
The manager said he's not sure if either player will be ready for the Bournemouth game on Monday, which could bring the total to eight games missed.
During the tournament, United has six Premier League matches and a FA Cup match against Brighton.
The biggest game they’ll miss is against Manchester City on January 17th. However, they could be back if their teams are knocked out early.
The group stage ends on December 31st, meaning they’ll definitely miss games against Aston Villa, Newcastle United, and Wolves.
If all goes well, they could be back for the Leeds United game on January 4th.
So, who can fill their shoes?
So far in the 2025/26 season, Amad and Mbeumo have often played together on the right, forming a great partnership.
Their 10 goals and assists make up 38% of the team's total, showing how big a problem it is to replace them.
Players like Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo, and Joshua Zirkzee will be eager to step up, but the manager might decide to look outside the club.
Even before the transfer window opens, United has been linked to several players, including Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo.
The Ghanaian player has been doing really well in the league, with six goals and three assists in his first 14 games.
He won't be at the African Cup of Nations, giving United a good chance to try and sign him.
Word is, he has a £65m release clause that kicks in on January 1st, but it only lasts for ten days.
United should jump at this opportunity. Some people are calling him the best winger in the country, and he has what it takes to make up for the loss at Old Trafford.
He's already averaging 1.4 shots on target per 90 minutes, putting him in the top 4% of players in the league. He offers the kind of goal threat they’ll miss from Mbeumo.
He can also play as a number ten or wing-back if needed, which could be really useful these next few weeks.
He’s becoming one of the most wanted players in the league, so the club needs to act fast to get the manager the players he needs to deal with the African Cup of Nations absences.
BRUNO FERNANDES FUMES AS ROMEO LAVIA ESCAPES RED CARD FOR CHELSEA STAMP
Manchester United beat Chelsea 1-0! Bruno Fernandes fumes at a missed red card as United close in on the top four.
Bruno Fernandes didn’t hide his anger on Saturday when a possible red card went unpunished during Manchester United’s 1-0 win against Chelsea. Thanks to Matheus Cunha’s goal in the first half, Michael Carrick’s team tightened their grip on a Champions League spot, grabbing all three points at Stamford Bridge.
Now, United sit 10 points ahead of Chelsea, who are sixth and chasing that final Champions League spot. With five games left, Carrick’s side only needs six more points to guarantee a return to Europe’s top competition, a stage they haven’t stepped on since 2023.
Still, Fernandes was frustrated with referee Michael Oliver’s decision in West London. At one point, Romeo Lavia seemed to stamp on him after a foul, and Fernandes made his feelings clear. Most folks would expect a red card for something like that, but Oliver didn’t even flash a yellow.
Honestly, it didn’t ruin United’s night. The mood’s good; Carrick has turned things around since taking over for Ruben Amorim in January. United have only lost twice in the league this year, and Champions League football looks almost nailed on at this point. But Fernandes isn’t celebrating just yet.
After the game, he spoke with TNT Sports: “It’s an amazing feeling for us. We had to bounce back – not just because of Leeds, but the two games before that, where we didn’t win. We knew we had to put in a big performance; Chelsea is a strong team. Getting three points is huge because our target is the top four, and this gives us some breathing room. I feel like we’re three points closer. We’ve got another key game coming up, and we know we need more points to finish the job. We’ll do everything we can to wrap it up soon.”
Individually, Fernandes is having a massive season. He’s just two assists shy of the Premier League record, with five matches to catch Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne’s joint record of 20. And the hunger’s still there.
He said, “I say this all the time: I want to do better than last season. I want to improve my whole game. Every week, I’m trying to get better because I want to finish my career at the very top.”
FA UPHOLDS HARRY MAGUIRE MISCONDUCT CHARGE; DEFENDER OFFICIALLY BANNED FOR CHELSEA TRIP
Man United hit with a major blow! Maguire misconduct ban confirmed as Chelsea eye a crucial Premier League win.
Harry Maguire is staring down a one-match ban and a fine after the Football Association upheld a misconduct charge against him. The Manchester United defender will miss the trip to Chelsea, which only makes an already messy situation worse for Michael Carrick at the back.
Things aren’t looking great for United’s defence right now. According to The Athletic, Maguire won’t play against Chelsea this weekend. He’s still in trouble for how he went after the fourth official in that Bournemouth match, where he got sent off. It’s extra frustrating because Maguire just served another suspension during United’s 2-1 loss to Leeds after getting dismissed in that wild 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. Carrick’s relied on Maguire a lot since taking over; 10 of his 14 league starts have come under the new manager, so this is a rough blow.
The FA made their stance clear after Maguire allegedly swore at fourth official Matt Donohue following his red card for a foul on Evanilson. The league is strict about how players treat officials, and this outburst crossed the line. In their words: “It is alleged that the defender acted improperly and used abusive or insulting words and behaviour towards the fourth official following his dismissal.”
And Maguire’s not the only headache for Carrick. Lisandro Martinez is also likely out, probably facing a three-match ban after pulling Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s hair and getting sent off against Leeds. United’s appealing it, but PGMO chief Howard Webb hasn’t left much doubt: hair-pulling counts as violent conduct, full stop. Clubs get that reminder every season, and pulling someone’s hair with force? The refs won’t hesitate to show red.
So now Carrick’s options are threadbare. With both senior centre-backs banned, he’s got little choice but to start Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven, a pair of teenagers at Stamford Bridge. United is hanging onto third in the league for now, but Chelsea could close the gap to just four points if they win. No experienced backups, the pressure of Stamford Bridge, and the season’s most crucial spell ahead, these young defenders are about to get thrown straight into the deep end.
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