The absence of players at AFCON is hurting Man Utd, but Ruben Amorim has just seen the ideal scenario unfold for Amad and Bryan Mbeumo.
AFCON has been extremely successful so far for all three Man Utd players, with Noussair Mazraoui kicking it off in style.
Then Amad and Bryan Mbeumo won MOTM awards in their respective first games, following which Amad continued his hot streak at the expense of Mbeumo.
How confident are you Manchester United will beat Leeds in the first game of 2026?
Our recent record against Leeds is very impressive, they have not beaten us since 2010 👀
Now that Mazraoui put in a masterclass in a new role for Morocco in their final league game, Ruben Amorim has seen an ideal scenario unfold for the duo in their final game.
Bryan Mbeumo and Amad coasting through AFCON
The prospects of Mazraoui’s Morocco were never in doubt since they are the strongest team in the tournament, but the scenario was much trickier for the other two.
Not least because Amad or Mbeumo could have progressed to the knockout at the expense of each other, since they were in the same group.
However, both have now progressed through to the next round of the tournament after winning two games and drawing the third against each other.
Ivory Coast will face Burkina Faso, while Cameroon will face South Africa in the round-of-16.
Amorim won’t say it out loud, but he would have liked to see the players return by getting eliminated quickly from the tournament.
However, now that their campaign is set to continue, he saw the next-best scenario unfold for both his players as they coast through AFCON with minimal fuss.
Ruben Amorim’s ideal scenario unfolds at AFCON
After being key players for the first two games, Amorim will be relieved to see both Amad and Mbeumo have their minutes managed for the final league game.
How many goals do you think Bryan Mbeumo will finish with this season? ⚽
Cameroon won 2-1 against Mozambique, but Mbeumo was subbed off at half-time after a quietly encouraging display.
Amad, on the other hand, played even less, as he came off the bench in the 76th minute in his team’s 3-2 win against Gabon.
Amad also remained central to the proceedings despite playing just 15 minutes, and their respective managers’ decision to manage their minutes ahead of knockouts bodes well for United.
Their return to Old Trafford has been delayed further, but they are both being managed carefully, so they are at the top of their game.
Failing their early return to the club, this is the ideal scenario that is now unfolding for Amorim and Utd.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
