Why Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko are out of international duty | Football

Manchester United forwards Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko have pulled out of international duty for Cameroon and Slovenia respectively.

Mbeumo started the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth on Friday night, being replaced by Sesko in the 71st minute on the south coast.

The Cameroonian striker has since withdrawn from their upcoming friendlies against Australia and China, with ManUtd.com stating it is ‘as a precaution.’

Sesko is also not fully fit and will not play for his country in friendlies against Hungary and Montenegro.

His club states that it is ‘in order to ensure that he fully recovers from an issue that United have been carefully managing throughout recent weeks.’

Neither fitness concern is thought to be major and the BBC reports that Manchester United expect to have both Mbeumo and Sesko available for their next outing, which isn’t until April 13 against Leeds at Old Trafford.

With both Cameroon and Slovenia failing to qualify for the World Cup, their star players are not entirely necessary for the upcoming friendlies.

Morocco have qualified for the World Cup and Noussair Mazraoui will join up with his national side after recovering from the illness which kept him out of the Cherries draw.

The Atlas Lions are playing Ecuador and Paraguay in friendlies as they prepare for their World Cup group, which features Scotland, Brazil and Haiti.

With much of the Red Devils squad away on international duty, it will be quiet time at the club during the long wait for their next outing against Leeds.

Speaking after the draw with Bournemouth on Friday, interim manager Michael Carrick said: ‘There’s not too many left, to be honest. We’ve got Mason [Mount], Josh [Zirkzee], we’ve got Tyrell [Malacia], and Luke Shaw, so most of the other lads are off.

‘It feels like a long time, but because it’s the international break and the boys usually have to hurry back, it gives them a chance not to rush. It feels long when you say it days-wise, but the fact is that boys would be training and a lot of them would be playing two games anyway.

‘We’ll make the most of it when we all get back together.’

Carrick may have Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt available again after injury by that point, which will be a plus as Harry Maguire is suspended following his red card against Bournemouth.

Maguire has returned to the England squad – along with Kobbie Mainoo – for the upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, but misses the Leeds game due to the one-match ban.

Patrick Dorgu is not expected to be back from his hamstring issue until late April.

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