Africa Cup of Nations 2017: Sadio Mane, Eric Bailly and Riyad Mahrez among Premier League stars set to miss out on club duty due to tournament
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WE'RE exactly halfway through the 2016-17 Premier League campaign and the battle for the title is in full swing, with Chelsea leading Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham and both Manchester clubs at this stage.
At the other end, there are a mere ten points separating ninth place from the relegation zone, with almost every club in the league battling tooth and nail for one thing or another.
With everything to play for at both ends of the table, even the smallest detail could derail a club's chances.
Keep up to date with ALL the Premier League news, gossip, transfers and goals on our page plus fixtures, results and live match commentary.
In just two weeks, we'll welcome the return of the African Cup of Nations which means one thing - some top flight clubs are going to lose a host of key players.
But which Premier League sides will be hit the hardest by the tournament in Gabon - which takes place between January 14 and February 5, 2017.
We take a look at every top flight club, highlighting all the players - if any - they're set to lose for the month.
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ARSENAL - 1
Players leaving: Mohamed Elneny (Egypt)
ARSENE WENGER will need to make do without holding midfielder Elneny for up to a month.
His Egypt qualified for Afcon, but fortunately for the Gunners, Nigeria did not, so Alex Iwobi will still be at Mr Wenger's disposal.
BOURNEMOUTH - 1
Players leaving: Max Gradel (Ivory Coast)
CHERRIES boss Eddie Howe will need to battle on without Gradel.
Having lost winger Gradel to injury last season, he will now face another month without him due to the tournament.
However, there's good news as Benik Afobe - who swapped England for DR Congo in March - has pulled out of the competition.
BURNLEY - 1
Players leaving: Tendayi Darikwa (Zimbabwe)
THE Clarets will need to make do without just one player in January, in Darikwa.
The Zimbabwean will be travelling to the tournament in Gabon and will not be at Sean Dyche's disposal.
CHELSEA - 0
Players leaving: None
ANTONIO CONTE has the rare privilege of having a full squad to choose from, with no players heading to the African Cup of Nations.
Both Victor Moses and John Obi Mikel will not travel as Nigeria failed to reach the tournament.
CRYSTAL PALACE - 3
Players leaving: Kwesi Appiah (Ghana), Bakary Sako (Mali), Wilfried Zaha (Ivory Coast).
THREE players will swap Selhurst Park for Gabon, as Appiah and Sako will both travel to the Afcon.
Despite Pape Souare not travelling with Senegal due to a long-term injury, Sam Allardyce received a major blow early into his tenure in south London as Zaha swapped his national allegiance from England to the Ivory Coast just in time for the tournament.
EVERTON - 3
Players leaving: , Idrissa Gueye (Senegal), Arouna Kone (Ivory Coast), Oumar Niasse (Senegal)
RONALD KOEMAN'S Toffees are one of the worst affected side in the Premier League, with no fewer than three players swapping Merseyside for Gabon.
Flying winger Yannick Bolasie will miss out on DR Congo duty only due to injury, but Gueye and Niasse Senegal, while Kone will link-up with the Ivory Coast.
HULL - 2
Players leaving: Ahmed Elmohamady (Egypt), Dieumerci Mbokani (DR Congo)
NEW full-time Tigers boss Mike Phelan will need to do without two stars this winter.
Both Elmohamady and Mbokani will fly off to Gabon to represent Egypt and DR Congo respectively.
LEICESTER - 4
Players leaving: Daniel Amartey (Ghana), Yohan Benalouane (Tunisia), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria), Islam Slimani (Algeria)
CLAUDIO RANIERI will have it tough this winter, losing a quartet of stars to the Afcon.
Not only will key cog Mahrez miss a month, so too will Amartey, Benalouane and Slimani.
LIVERPOOL - 1
Players leaving: Sadio Mane (Senegal)
JURGEN KLOPP also faces an uphill battle this winter, despite only losing one player.
While the Reds may boast Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Co in attack, the player who has shone most brightly has been Mane - the man they will need to battle on without in January.
Fortunately for Klopp, Joel Matip is still in his self-imposed exile from Cameroon duty and should be clear to carry on his Premier League duties.
MAN CITY - 0
Players leaving: None
PEP GUARDIOLA will have the good fortune to soldier on with no missing men.
Yaya Toure has officially retired from international duty, while Kelechi Iheanacho's Nigeria failed to reach the tournament.
MAN UNITED - 1
Players leaving: Eric Bailly (Ivory Coast)
JUST the one missing man for Jose Mourinho - but it is a key figure.
Bailly has been a rock for United in the heart of Man United's defence this term - but he will fly off to Gabon to represent the Ivory Coast in January.
MIDDLESBROUGH - 1
Players leaving: Adama Traore (Mali)
BORO will be without just the one face this winter, with Traore jetting off for Mali duty.
There is good news for Aitor Karanka though, as Emilio Nsue's Equatorial Guinea missed out on qualification.
SOUTHAMPTON - 1
Players leaving: Sofiane Boufal (Morocco)
CLAUDE PUEL'S Saints will be missing just the one player in exciting youngster Boufal.
The Moroccan will jet off to Gabon for the Afcon in January.
STOKE - 3
Players leaving: Wilfried Bony (Ivory Coast), Mame Biram Diouf (Senegal), Ramadan Sobhi (Egypt)
MARK HUGHES' Potters are already in the midst of a relegation battle - and it won't get any easier with three big names flying off to the Afcon.
Forwards Bony, Diouf and Sobhi will all be missing through January due to the tournament.
SUNDERLAND - 3
Players leaving: Wahbi Khazri (Tunisia), Lamine Kone (Ivory Coast), Didier Ndong (Gabon)
DAVID MOYES will see his misery multiplied in January, as his relegation-battling Black Cats are set to lose three big names, in Khazri, Kone and Ndong.
It could have been worse for the Scot boss though, with three players missing out - one due to lack of qualification - in the case of Nigeria's Victor Anichebe - one through retirement, after Steven Pienaar hung up his boots for South Africa and one thanks to Djilobodji not being selected in Senegal's final squad.
SWANSEA - 0
Players leaving: None
THE Swans have a clean slate come the winter, with no players heading off to the African Cup of Nations.
The only potential departee was Modou Barrow, only for Gambia to not make the cut.
TOTTENHAM - 0
Players leaving: None
SPURS will hold a substantial advantage over some of the other title-chasing teams, with no players set to leave the squad.
Key midfield man Victor Wanyama could have found himself on the plane to Gabon, but his Kenya failed to qualify.
WATFORD - 3
Players leaving: Nordin Amrabat (Morocco), Brice Dja-Djedje (Ivory Coast), Adlene Guedioura (Algeria)
THE Hornets face a big winter sting, with no fewer than three big names making the trip to Gabon, in Amrabat, Dja-Djedje and Guedioura.
However, fortunately for Watford they can keep hold of Nigerian duo Odion Ighalo and Isaac Success due to their nation missing out on qualification.
WEST BROM - 2
Players leaving: Brendan Galloway (Zimbabwe), Allan Nyom (Cameroon)
THE Baggies will need to make do without duo Galloway and Nyom throughout January.
Other than that, Tony Pulis will have concerns through the busy winter months - with Galloway perhaps even opting to not turn out for Zimbabwe, having featured for a host of England youth squads.
WEST HAM - 3
Players leaving: Andre Ayew (Ghana), Cheikhou Kouyate (Senegal), Diafra Sakho (Senegal)
SLAVEN BILIC will have his work cut out come January, with three players jetting off to Gabon.
It could have been worse however, with Pedro Obiang missing the tournament as his Equatorial Guinea missed out on a place in the finals, while Sofiane Feghouli was yesterday left out of Algeria's final squad.
Now find out which Championship players will be leaving for the Africa Cup of Nations