AFCON 2022: From Salah to Mendy, a look at Premier League players going for Africa Cup of Nations

The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) begins on January 9, 2022, with over 30 Premier League players set to miss several weeks of action as they head to Cameroon.

The Africa Cup of Nations is set to begin on January 6, with over 30 Premier League players across clubs set to miss several weeks of action as they head to Cameroon. Watford, Arsenal and Leicester City are the most impacted clubs as they will say goodbye to four players each.

However, Liverpool that is currently placed third in the Premier League table with 41 points, will be impacted the most as two of their key stars, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, are headed for the tournament. As per rules, the players can stay with their Premier League clubs until January 3 and return to England the day after their teams are knocked out of AFCON.

Let's take a look at which Premier League players are headed to Cameroon for AFCON 2022.

Players selected for AFCON from Arsenal: Mohamed Elneny (Egypt), Nicolas Pepe (Ivory Coast), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon), Thomas Partey (Ghana)

Games impacted:

Carabao Cup semi-final 1st leg vs Liverpool (H) on Jan 6

FA Cup clash vs Nottingham Forest (A) on Jan 9 

Carabao Cup semi-final 2nd leg vs Liverpool (A) on Jan 13

EPL games: Jan 16 vs Tottenham Hotspurs (A), Jan 22 vs Burnley (H), Feb 8 vs Wolves (A)

Players selected for AFCON from Aston Villa: Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso), Trezeguet (Egypt)

Games impacted:

FA Cup clash vs Manchester United (A) on Jan 10

EPL games: Jan 15 vs Manchester United (H), Jan 22 vs Everton (A), Feb 8 vs Leeds United (H)

Player selected for AFCON from Brentford: Frank Onyeka (Nigeria); Julian Jeanvier was not selected by Guinea and Tariqe Fosu was left out of the Ghana squad.

Games impacted:

FA Cup clash vs Port Vale (A) on Jan 8

EPL games: Jan 15 vs Liverpool (A), Jan 22 vs Wolves (H), Feb 9 vs Manchester City (A)

Player selected for AFCON from Brighton: Yves Bissouma (Mali)

Games impacted:

FA Cup clash vs West Brom (A) on Jan 8

EPL games: Jan 14 vs Crystal Palace (H), Jan 22 vs Leicester City (A), Feb 8 vs Chelsea (H)

Player selected for AFCON from Burnley: Maxwel Cornet (Ivory Coast)

Games impacted:

FA Cup clash vs Huddersfield Town (H) on Jan 8

EPL games: Jan 15 vs Leicester City (H), Jan 22 vs Arsenal (A), Feb 8 vs Manchester United (H)

Player selected for AFCON from Chelsea: Edouard Mendy (Senegal); Hakim Ziyech has been left out of the Morocco squad.

Games impacted:

Carabao Cup semi-final 1st leg vs Tottenham Hotspurs (H) on Jan 5

FA Cup clash vs Chesterfield (H) on Jan 8

Carabao Cup semi-final 2nd leg vs Tottenham Hotspurs (A) on Jan 12

EPL games: Jan 15 vs Manchester City (A), Jan 23 vs Tottenham Hotspurs (H), Feb 8 vs Brighton (A)

Players selected for AFCON from Crystal Palace: Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal), Jordan Ayew (Ghana), Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast); Jeffrey Schlupp was not included in the Ghana squad.

Games impacted:

FA Cup clash vs Millwall (A) on Jan 8

EPL games: Jan 14 vs Brighton (A), Jan 23 vs Liverpool (H), Feb 8 vs Norwich (A)

Player selected for AFCON from Everton: Alex Iwobi (Nigeria); Jean-Philippe Gbamin was not included in the Ivory Coast squad

Games impacted:

FA Cup clash vs Hull City (A) on Jan 8

EPL games: Jan 15 vs Norwich (A), Jan 22 vs Aston Villa (H), Feb 9 vs Newcastle (A)

Players selected for AFCON from Leicester City: Kelechi Iheanacho (Nigeria), Wilfred Ndidi (Nigeria), Daniel Amartey (Ghana), and Nampalys Mendy (Senegal) from Premier League 2

Games impacted:

FA Cup clash vs Watford (H) on Jan 8

EPL games: Jan 15 vs Burnley (A), Jan 22 vs Brighton (H), Feb 9 vs Liverpool (A)

Players selected for AFCON from Liverpool: Naby Keita (Guinea), Mohamed Salah (Egypt), Sadio Mane (Senegal)

Games impacted:

Carabao Cup semi-final 1st leg clash vs Arsenal (A) on Jan 6

FA Cup clash vs Shrewsbury Town (H) on Jan 9

Carabao Cup semi-final 2nd leg clash vs Arsenal (H) on Jan 13

EPL games: Jan 15 vs Brentford (H), Jan 23 vs Crystal Palace (A), Feb 9 vs Leicester City (H)

Player selected for AFCON from Manchester City: Riyad Mahrez (Algeria)

Games impacted:

FA Cup clash vs Swindon Town (A) on Jan 9

EPL games: Jan 15 vs Chelsea (H), Jan 22 vs Southampton (A), Feb 9 vs Brentford (H)

Player selected for AFCON from Manchester United: Eric Bailly (Ivory Coast); Amad Diallo was not included in the Ivory Coast squad

Games impacted:

FA Cup clash vs Aston Villa (H) on Jan 10

EPL games: Jan 15 vs Aston Villa (A), Jan 22 vs West Ham (H), Feb 8 vs Burnley (A)

Player selected for AFCON from Southampton: Moussa Djenepo (Mali); Mohammed Salisu was not included in the Ghana squad

Games impacted:

FA Cup clash vs Swansea (A) on Jan 8

EPL games: Jan 15 vs Wolves (A), Jan 22 vs Manchester City (H), Feb 9 vs Tottenham (A)

Players selected for AFCON from Watford: Ismaila Sarr (Senegal), William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria), Adam Masina (Morocco), Imran Louza (Morocco)

Emmanuel Dennis will not play in AFCON 2022 after Watford refused to release him because the Nigerian federation did not request the striker for the tournament in time.

Games impacted:

FA Cup clash vs Leicester City (A) on Jan 8

EPL games: Jan 15 vs Newcastle (A), Jan 21 vs Norwich (H), Feb 8 vs West Ham (A)

Player selected for AFCON from West Ham: Said Benrahma (Algeria)

Games impacted:

FA Cup clash vs Leeds (H) on Jan 9

EPL games: Jan 16 vs Leeds (H), Jan 22 vs Manchester United (A), Feb 8 vs Watford (H)

Players selected for AFCON from Wolves: Romain Saiss (Morocco), Willy Boly (Ivory Coast); Boly has not played in the Premier League because of injury this season

Games impacted:

FA Cup clash vs Sheffield United (H) on Jan 9

EPL games: Jan 15 vs Southampton (H), Jan 22 vs Brentford (A), Feb 8 vs Arsenal (H)