"In losing Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso), Arthur Masuaku (DR Congo), Noah Sadiki (DR Congo), Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco), Reinildo Mandava (Mozambique) and Habib Diarra (Senegal), Sunderland will be without players who have played a cumulative 4,412 minutes and 61 appearances in the Premier League this season a higher total than any other side. Sadiki has missed just 26 minutes in the league this season and looks to be their biggest miss of all."
"The tireless midfielder, who joined from Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise in the summer, plays a key role in building possession from deep-lying positions on the pitch alongside Granit Xhaka, while being an adept ball-winner too. Sadiki (eight) is one of Sunderland's top seven chance creators in the league this term, as are fellow Afcon absentees Traore (eight) and Talbi (seven)."
The Africa Cup of Nations begins in Morocco with 32 Premier League players selected to represent their national teams. Sunderland sit on 26 points from 16 games after a derby win over Newcastle and have already outscored last season's promoted clubs Leicester (25), Ipswich (22) and Southampton (12). Sunderland will loan six players to Afcon, double any other club, losing Bertrand Traore, Arthur Masuaku, Noah Sadiki, Chemsdine Talbi, Reinildo Mandava and Habib Diarra. The absentees account for 4,412 minutes and 61 Premier League appearances, with Sadiki having missed just 26 minutes this season and playing a crucial deep-possession and ball-winning role alongside Granit Xhaka. Simon Adingra was omitted from Cote d'Ivoire's squad.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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