The annual wailing from Premier League dugouts has commenced precisely on schedule. In Manchester, they're already prepping the violins for United's Africa Cup of Nations exodus. Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo, and Noussair Mazraoui will soon depart for the tournament England's top clubs love to resent. This predictable winter lament follows a script older than Sir Alex's hairdryer. European managers clutch pearls about losing African talent for six weeks, conveniently forgetting they spend the other 46 profiting from it.

Let's pause the performative anguish. United started both Mbeumo and Amad in Monday's victory at Wolves knowing full well AFCON lurked around the corner. Mazraoui wasn't some surprise January transfer. Morocco's right back arrived in July sporting international commitments stamped clearly on his CV. This is not misfortune. This is malpractice. A £2 billion squad apparently couldn't account for three starters disappearing for a month. Such negligence would provoke boardroom coups at properly run institutions.

Consider the irony here. United sold Anthony Elanga to Nottingham Forest last summer precisely because Amad's emergence made him expendable. Now that same Amad leaves for international duty, exposing their paper thin depth at right wing back. This speaks to a deeper institutional myopia. Premier League clubs treat AFCON like an inconvenient weather event rather than a predictable competition requiring strategic planning.

The numbers reveal their dependence. Forty four African players featured in last weekend's Premier League matches, nearly two full squads worth of talent. They account for approximately 12% of all minutes played. Championship sides face similar disruption in League One and Two. Yet English football collectively acts shocked when these professionals prioritize representing nations responsible for their development. It's like hiring seasonal workers then complaining they take vacations.

Ruben Amorim's hopeful pronouncements about delaying departures reek of desperation. Bournemouth awaits next Monday before Morocco's December 21 opener dictates Mazraoui's exit. A manager scrambling to keep players from national teams mid season should raise alarms about recruitment failures rather than tactical acumen. The scheduling conversation distracts from United's real crime. It built attacking patterns around Mbeumo, its joint fifth highest Premier League scorer, without adequately insuring against his inevitable absence.

This exposes United's broader mediocrity under the Glazer regime. Liverpool navigated Salah's Egypt commitments last AFCON by securing Luis Díaz weeks before the tournament. City offset Mahrez's Algerian absences through tactical flexibility. United's answer appears to be praying Benjamin Sesko recovers from injury precisely when Mbeumo's plane touches down in Cameroon's capital. The Slovenian striker's agent chirping about readiness doesn't inspire confidence. Blind optimism is not a squad depth strategy.

Amorim's likely solutions showcase United's compromised position. Diogo Dalot swapping flanks suggests desperation from a manager who previously preferred Patrick Dorgu at left back. Matheus Cunha sliding into Mbeumo's creative role feels like replacing a precision scalpel with a butter knife. The Brazilian has one goal and zero assists in 11 appearances. Joshua Zirkzee deputizing upfront? United's sixth choice September striker shouldn't be leading January's attack unless ambitions have downgraded to mid table obscurity.

The human impact ripples beyond tactics. Mazraoui's absence halts a promising defensive partnership with rapier swift Leny Yoro, just stabilizing after early turbulence. Amad's AFCON adventure disrupts his breakout season chasing Aaron Wan Bissaka's shadow for three years. Younger players get opportunities below their readiness level while veterans face increased workloads. These disruptions don't just cost games. They risk relationships and careers.

AFCON serves as football's Rorschach test. Clubs see inconvenience. Players see honor. Citizens of Morocco, Ivory Coast, and Cameroon see heroes representing their national identity. This disconnect explains why European outfits still treat the tournament as an imposition rather than what it represents. A celebration. A proving ground. A legitimate competition unwilling to kowtow to Premier League calendars.

Consider the hypocrisy metrics. English clubs wax poetic about showcasing global talent while privately lobbying FIFA to weaken international competitions. They market African star power for commercial gain then resent players prioritizing continental glory over Carabao Cup quarterfinals. Broadcasters splash Premier League games across 200 territories, including throughout Africa, while treating AFCON coverage as an afterthought.

United's temporary frontline without Mbeumo tells you everything about their priorities. Zirkzee arrived last summer as developmental talent. Sesko came injured from RB Leipzig. Mount clicks only when deployed behind elite attackers who, come January, won't exist at Old Trafford. The Glazer era specializes in financial alchemy. Turn trophy aspirations into top four calculations. Turn title challenges into margin protection. Now watch them turn AFCON absences into lowered expectations.

Historical comparisons highlight decay. When Eric Cantona banned himself via kung fu kick in 1995, Ferguson summoned academy products. Beckham, Scholes, Neville sealed Premier League glory. Current leadership couldn't navigate three predictable absences without tactical contortions. What happened to the club that developed Cristiano Ronaldo while Carlos Queiroz managed Portugal? That trusted Ole Gunnar Solskjær's kids when injury crises struck?

The Premier League's casual dismissal of AFCON reveals deeper prejudice. UEFA doesn't reschedule weeks around Copa America. Nobody expects Brasileirao sides to pause seasons for European Championship call ups. Only Africa gets treated like a disruption rather than a partner. Elite clubs take more footballers from African nations than any other continent outside Europe. They just don't want to share.

United's makeshift options offer faint hope. Yoro deserves sustained minutes to prove his lofty reputation. Dalot switching flanks might rediscover his Porto form. But pray tell, when United visit Aston Villa on December 21, who clinical finishes chances that evaporated with Mbeumo's departure? Since when does a supposed super club pin Champions League qualification hopes on a Slovenian striker returning from unknown injury timelines?

True contenders solve problems before they become emergencies. Arsenal acquired Jorginho when Partey's absences grew predictable. Newcastle spent years building center back depth before Botman's ACL tear. United? They sold Fred to Fenerbahçe without replacing his midfield industry. Loaned Facundo Pellistri to Granada knowing Amad faced AFCON duty. Approved preseason tours impacting recovery schedules then express shock when fitness issues flare.

And spare me arguments about player welfare. If clubs truly cared about fatigue mitigation, they wouldn't schedule lucrative friendlies halfway around the globe within days of Premier League commitments. United jetting to Las Vegas between Wolves and Bournemouth tells you everything about their true priorities. This isn't about AFCON damaging performance. It's about losing control of assets.

Rewatch Mbeumo's goal against Wolves. A composed finish confirming why Amorim built attacking patterns around his movement. Then imagine a January without those intelligent runs. Envision full backs recycling possession endlessly where Amad once penetrated. Observe opponents targeting Mazraoui's vacant flank. None of this emerged overnight. United entered December knowing AFCON loomed yet kicking contingency planning to some vague future date.

The hypocrisy descends further. When European players depart for prestige UEFA tournaments, managers discuss pride and honor. But African internationals face questions about loyalty and prioritization. These double standards linger like bad cologne. How many times must Mohamed Salah answer whether he prefers Liverpool or Egypt? One employs him. The other made him.

AFCON serves continental development despite European resistance. Look at what Cameroon produced last tournament. Andre Onana's performances between the sticks validated his move to Inter Milan. Karl Toko Ekambi's Golden Boot accelerated his Villarreal exit. Even weaker nations showcase gems like Patson Daka and Kamaldeen Sulemana. Premier League clubs benefit from this exposure. They should pay royalties.

United's next five league matches include trips to Villa Park and Old Trafford battles against Chelsea and West Ham. They currently sit fifth, four points off top spot. By mid January without consistent attacking options, that gap might resemble the Grand Canyon. Blaming AFCON would be cowardly. Squad building happens in transfer windows, not via international calendars. Amorim overstated his hand by assuming Mbeumo and company would somehow avoid continental duty.

The financial arguments compound embarrassment. United generated £648 million last season, more than the combined revenue of every AFCON participant save Morocco and Egypt. Yet they treat losing three starters like some act of God rather than poor planning. How does such revenue fail to produce adequate squad depth? This would be corporate negligence in any other industry.

Ultimately, this recurring AFCON drama spotlights football's power imbalance. Badge kissing loyalty flows one way. African players should bleed club colors until inconvenience knocks. Then they become mercenaries chasing nationalist glory. The sooner Europe acknowledges its parasitic relationship with African football, the healthier everyone's calendars become until then, Manchester United's January slump isn't tragedy. It's karma.