Manchester United star Eric Bailly set to miss Liverpool clash at Old Trafford as Ivory Coast qualify for African Cup of Nations
Defender was a key man in Elephants' 2015 triumph and call-up could also see him miss Stoke, Hull and Leicester games
MANCHESTER UNITED are already sweating over the availability of new signing Henrikh Mkhitaryan for next weekend's crunch derby clash against Manchester City.
And Jose Mourinho also looks likely to be without fellow summer arrival Eric Bailly later this season after Ivory Coast booked their place in the 2017 African Cup of Nations with a two-legged victory over Sierra Leone.
Bailly was a key man during The Elephants' 2015 triumph and looks set to be a shoe-in when Michel Dussuyer announces his squad later in the year.
But it will spell bad news for the Red Devils if the £30million man is called up, with Bailly likely to miss as many as four Premier League games – including the heated home fixture against fierce rivals Liverpool on January 14.
Jurgen Klopp’s men visit Old Trafford on the opening day of the ACON, and Bailly could also be absent for matches against Stoke, Hull and champions Leicester.
The 22-year-old has become an integral part of the United side which currently sits top of the table alongside City and Chelsea after three games.
Bailly has formed a solid partnership with midfielder-turned-defender Daley Blind, and has even been keeping regular Chris Smalling out of the side.
But unless the ace is somehow overlooked for Ivory Coast’s title defence, Mourinho will be forced to turn to one of Smalling, Phil Jones or Marcos Rojo for Liverpool's visit to the Theatre of Dreams.