Mohamed Salah experienced another difficult weekend in the Premier League as Liverpool suffered a 3-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest at Anfield, compounding the Egyptian’s early-season struggles.
Salah has registered four league goals this term, with his most recent coming in a win over Aston Villa on 1 November. Meanwhile, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland leads the Golden Boot race with 14 goals, while Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo is the top-scoring African in the division with six.
AFP Sport reviews the standout African performers across Europe’s major leagues:
MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool) Last season’s Golden Boot winner with 29 goals, the 33-year-old has found it far more difficult to influence matches this campaign. Liverpool’s latest defeat leaves them 11th after 12 rounds, with six losses already on the board.
SAMUEL CHUKWUEZE (Fulham) Introduced from the bench, the Nigerian provided a decisive moment, delivering a precise cross that allowed Raul Jimenez to net an 84th-minute winner in Fulham’s 1-0 victory over Sunderland. Nigerians Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi also featured from the start.
LYLE FOSTER, HANNIBAL MEJBRI (Burnley) Burnley boss Scott Parker turned to Foster and Mejbri while trailing Chelsea 1-0 at Turf Moor. Despite the added attacking impetus, neither was able to influence the outcome as Chelsea scored late to consolidate second place behind Arsenal.
NICOLAS JACKSON (Bayern Munich) Senegal international Jackson, on loan from Chelsea, capped Bayern’s remarkable 6-2 comeback win over Freiburg. After falling 2-0 behind, the champions responded with six unanswered goals. Jackson scored the fifth in the 78th minute, his second Bundesliga goal and fourth in all competitions.
EDMOND TAPSOBA (Bayer Leverkusen) Tapsoba continued his unexpected scoring run, netting his third goal in seven matches during Leverkusen’s 3-1 triumph at Wolfsburg. The Burkinabe defender rose highest to head home after 24 minutes, extending his reputation as a threat from set pieces.
ISMAELO GANIOU, MORGAN GUILAVOGUI (Lens) Ganiou’s second-half strike earned Lens a 1-0 win over Strasbourg and moved them up to third in Ligue 1, just two points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain. Substitute Morgan Guilavogui endured a frustrating cameo, receiving a stoppage-time red card for unsporting behaviour.
PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (Marseille) The Gabon captain responded emphatically after World Cup qualifying disappointment, opening the scoring in Marseille’s commanding 5-1 victory over Nice. The win lifts Marseille to second, edging Lens on goal difference.
ABDELHAMID AIT BOUDLAL (Rennes) Ait Boudlal broke the deadlock after 20 minutes to set Rennes on course for a comprehensive 4-1 home win against Monaco. The result moves Rennes to sixth place, narrowly above their opponents in the table.
