Advantage Man United and Spurs over Man City in the title race thanks to the African Nations Cup
The Premier League's top clubs are facing up to a busy schedule of fixtures without some of their key players, as this year's African Nations Cup takes place between 21 January and 12 February, with clubs forced to release players two weeks before the tournament begins.
talkSPORT looks at which clubs are likely to suffer most in the title race and battle for a Champions League spot...
PLAYERS MISSING IN THE TITLE RACE
Man City: Yaya Toure, Kolo Toure
Man United: Mame Diouf
Spurs: None
The only major absentees among the three clubs tussling for the title are Man City's Toure brothers, Kolo and Yaya. The latter has played in all of City's Premier League games this season, standing out with virtuoso box-to-box displays. He popped up with the winning goal in a tough away fixture at Loftus Road, while four top flight assists prove his role is not limited to breaking up play and shielding the back four.
Kolo Toure, meanwhile, has recently re-established himself along side Vincent Kompany in Roberto Mancini's plans with a run of three unbeaten league games in December and January. Tellingly, perhaps, Joleon Lescott has been preferred to Toure in City's only two league defeats of the campaign, so the former Everton man will have to prove this stat is just a coincidence.
Man United's Mame Diouf, who hasn't featured in the Premier League, is the only of Fergie's men playing in the tournament, while surprise contenders Spurs are unaffected.
VERDICT: Man City to miss Yaya Toure's presence when they host Tottenham - and Harry Redknapp's impressive midfield - on 22 January
PLAYERS MISSING IN THE TOP FOUR RACE
Arsenal: Gervinho, Marouane Chamakh
Chelsea: Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou
Liverpool: None
Newcastle: Demba Ba, Cheick Tiote
For Arsenal, Gervinho's absence is the more concerning as the Ivorian's performances of late have become increasingly useful following a nightmare debut at Newcastle. Moroccan flop Marouane Chamakh may be sold during the window regardless, with rumours linking German international striker Lukas Podolski to the club intensifying this week.
Liverpool face another seven games without influential forward Luis Suarez, so Reds fans will be glad that none of their first team squad are taking part.
Magpies boss Alan Pardew, on the other hand, must be the most gutted about the tournament's ramifications, as he prepares to wave goodbye to Cheick Tiote and Demba Ba.
The latter has already bagged 15 top flight goals this term while Tiote's powerful performances have been a driving force for the Toon. The importance of both players was underlined this week in Newcastle's 3-0 demolition of reigning champions Man United; Tiote bossed proceedings in midfield while Ba opened the scoring with a delightful finish and caused the Red Devils' back line problems throughout.
Three of Newcastle's five league defeats have come in one of the six games Tiote has missed through injury, while Ba has scored more than half of their 29 goals.
With Arsenal looking to reinforce their striking options, Newcastle may struggle to keep up with the Gunners and possibly Liverpool in 2012. The Magpies' upcoming matches against QPR, Fulham, Blackburn and Aston Villa don't look the trickiest, but can they reproduce their impressive early season form without such important players?
Chelsea, meanwhile, face a series of fixtures with teams expected to occupy the division's bottom half, although they will be without their talisman, Drogba, when they face Man United in February. Worryingly, the Blues have lost two and drawn one of the five games Drogba has missed in the league this season.
VERDICT: Newcastle in big trouble without Ba and Tiote, while Chelsea could rue the loss of Drogba if Sturridge and Torres aren't on their game
Which of the Premier League's top teams do you expect to suffer most from the impact of losing players to the African Nations Cup? Let us know by leaving a comment in the space below...