Man Utd and Liverpool handed major AFCON boost as new Premier League deadline agreed

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Premier League clubs including Manchester United and Liverpool have been handed a boost with a new FIFA ruling allowing them to keep players for an extra week ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations. The tournament starts on December 21 with several Premier League players involved.

According to the Daily Mail , FIFA have said that clubs do not have to release their players for the tournament until December 15. The deadline is a week later than initially thought.

It means that players including Liverpool's Mohamed Salah is expected to be available for the Reds' Premier League game against Brighton at home on Saturday, 13 December, two days before the deadline. If the deadline will allow Man United's Bryan Mbeumo, Amad and Noussair Mazraoui to play in their clash against Bournemouth on December 15, is still to be seen, but it does raise the possibility of them being able to feature.

It's not only Liverpool and United who could benefit from the change, the Premier League side most impacted by the tournament is newly-promoted Sunderland . The Black Cats have as many as seven players expected to feature.

The new deadline means that Chemsdine Talbi, Habib Diarra, Reinildo, Simon Adringra, Bertrand Traore, Arthur Masuaku and Noah Sadiki could all now be available for the Tyne-Wear Derby against Newcastle United on Sunday, 14 December. It's the first time the two rivals have met in the Premier League since 2016.

Three teams who will not be impacted at all by the tournament are Arsenal , Chelsea and Leeds United . The trio have no players in their squad who will represent their countries in the competition.

Speaking ahead of his team's Premier League game against Everton last week, United boss Ruben Amorim said that the club was working to keep the players at the club for as long as they could.

“We have the rules, when we have to release the players, so we will see," he said.

“We are doing our job to try and maintain the players a little bit longer, but it is not just in our hands. We need to respect that, but we will try to do everything to protect the club, protect the players and protect the national team."

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He also took a positive view on the absence of the players for the tournament.

“It is a circumstance that we already knew, but it is an opportunity for other players," he said. "We also have the Under-21s and we need to also send a message in that time, so we will see.

"But of course, it is not ideal because they [Amad, Mazraoui and Mbeumo] are so important in our team and we don't have a long squad. But our Academy is for this moment, and we will be ready.”

The tournament starts on December 21 with hosts Morocco taking on Comoros. The final is due to take place on 18 January, although players could return sooner than that if their teams are eliminated at an earlier stage.

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