Manchester United handed double boost with key duo set to return for derby

Manchester United are set to be boosted by the return of Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo for the derby next weekend, live on talkSPORT.

This is because Cameroon and the Ivory Coast are now out of the Africa Cup of Nations, so both players will be heading back to Manchester.

Neither have played for their club since departing in mid-December to join up with their nations to push for AFCON glory.

Both Cameroon and the Ivory Coast crashed out in the quarter-finals in recent days.

On Friday, Mbeumo played the full match as Cameroon were beaten 2-0 by host nation Morocco.

It brought to an end an interesting tournament from the former Brentford forward; Mbeumo failed to score or provide an assist for his country, with other members of the squad stepping up instead.

This was in total contrast to Amad with the winger enjoying an excellent tournament for the Ivory Coast.

He scored three times and provided an assist as well, but when his team needed him the most in the last eight, he couldn’t deliver a top performance.

Ivory Coast went out of the tournament with a 3-2 defeat to Egypt on Saturday.

Amad was involved in the second goal for ‘The Elephants’ as his corner was eventually scored by Guela Doue.

But he couldn’t stop Mohamed Salah and co making the semi-finals instead.

Both players will be devastated, but they are set to return to England in the coming days and will be available for that huge Manchester derby, according to The Sun.

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Who will be manager?

Darren Fletcher is currently in interim charge at Old Trafford, but talkSPORT understands Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has met the hierarchy regarding taking the job until the end of the season.

Michael Carrick has already had face-to-face meetings about the position.

Solskjaer has been interim and permanent Man United manager in the past having gone into the Old Trafford dugout after Jose Mourinho’s sacking in December 2018.

But despite his love and affection for the club, his reign ended in November 2021 without the club winning anything under his guidance.

He was also involved in bringing Cristiano Ronaldo back to Manchester, which ended badly.

Meanwhile, Carrick was briefly Man United interim manager for three games after Solskjaer left.

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His only permanent job in first-team football was with Middlesbrough.

Carrick’s team were known for playing front-footed, attacking football.

But despite a couple of seasons, he couldn’t get them out of the Championship and departed in June 2025.

And by the time this game kicks off, Man United should have a new interim manager in place, and whoever it is will have Amad and Mbeumo at their disposal.