Eric Bailly will make his return to Manchester United a little earlier than expected, after Ivory Coast were knocked out of the African Cup of Nations. The holders were knocked out at the group stages on Wednesday; needing a win to progress from Group C, they were beaten 1-0 by Morocco. As such, United’s summer signing from Villareal will return to the club shortly.
It’s certainly bad news for Bailly and his country, but Ivory Coast’s loss is United’s gain, with Jose Mourinho sure to welcome his centre back’s return. Bailly started the season in impressive form, and quickly became a first-choice option for United’s defence.
Of course, the surprise emergence of Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo as a defensive pairing has mitigated Bailly’s absence through injury and his international commitments, but with United fighting on four fronts, the return of a dependable defensive option is good news.
