Chelsea will be among the biggest suffers in January when several of their star players leave for the African Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas will be without the services of Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and Michael Essien during the tournament. However, he will retain the services of John Obi Mikel this year as Nigeria failed to qualify for the finals in 2012.
The Blues are struggling for form in the Premier League and are already 10 points behind leaders Manchester City. Drogba's absence could allow Fernando Torres the opportunity to try and stamp a claim for a regular starting place in the side. The £50 million signing from Liverpool has struggled for goals and form since joining Stamford Bridge and has had to share his opportunities in the side with Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Daniel Sturridge. Those following the in-play African Cup of Nations betting should remember this.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will be delighted that Cameroon surprisingly haven't made the African Cup of Nations next year. The Frenchman will keep hold of his influential midfielder Alex Song who is usually on international duty when the tournament comes around. Wenger will however, lose Emmanuel Frimpong, Gervinho and Maroune Chamakh for the games, which could leave him pretty short in the striking options. He will be hoping that in-form Dutchman Robin van Persie stays injury free otherwise he may look to add a forward in the January transfer window.
Chamakh has not been a regular in Wenger's side this season after struggling to repeat the success he had in his first campaign at the Emirates Stadium since joining from Bordeaux.
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