Man United decision leaves £12.8m star unlikely to start vs Arsenal

Manchester United have made a significant call ahead of their pivotal Premier League showdown with Arsenal next weekend.

According to the Manchester Evening News, United have granted Noussair Mazraoui extra time off after his side lost to Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final last weekend.

Mazraoui endured a gruelling 98 minutes in a dramatic and controversial final that ended in a narrow 1-0 loss.

Just days earlier, the full-back had completed the 120 minutes in Morocco’s hard-fought semi-final victory over Nigeria.

The defender is now expected to report back to Carrington by the end of the week.

United will be keen to ride the momentum after a scintillating 2-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday.

Another positive result on Sunday could be a huge boost for the Red Devils as they aim to secure a top-four finish.

United head coach Michael Carrick would have been keen to start Mazraoui against Arsenal were it not for his exhausting AFCON commitments.

Instead, Carrick is now expected to retain Diogo Dalot at right-back, with Mazraoui likely to be introduced from the bench during the second half.

Mazraoui has had a stop-start season due to injuries and international commitments.

However, he has been a fantastic performer when available.

Since arriving from Bayern Munich for £12.8 million in 2024, the Moroccan international has impressed with his tactical intelligence, versatility and technical quality.

A press-resistant defender with an excellent range of passing, Mazraoui adds a level of control and calmness to United’s build-up play.

There is no doubt that Mazraoui will add further value to the United squad on his return and should start many of the remaining 16 games this campaign.

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .