African players in Europe: Salah brace rescues Liverpool

Prolific Liverpool scorer Mohamed Salah led the way with a brace in a dramatic victory at Southampton as six Africans scored in the Premier League at the weekend.

Ghanaians Thomas Partey and Jordan Ayew, Senegalese Ismaila Sarr and Nicolas Jackson and Nigerian Alex Iwobi also netted.

Salah inspired a 3-2 comeback victory to raise his league tally to 10 goals – two less than chart-topper Erling Haaland from Manchester City. There are four Africans among top eight.

Here, AFP Sport highlights some African headline-makers in the major European leagues:

ENGLAND

MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)

The Egypt forward propelled Liverpool to an eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League as his brace inspired a win at Southampton. Arne Slot's side were in danger of shock defeat to the bottom club after falling 2-1 behind early in the second half. But Salah hauled Liverpool level in the 65th minute, converting Ryan Gravenberch's pass with a clinical finish. Salah sealed the Reds' 10th win in 12 league games this season in the 83rd minute, netting his 12th goal of the season with a nerveless penalty.

THOMAS PARTEY (Arsenal)

The midfielder scored for the first time since August as Arsenal got back on track with a 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest. Partey doubled the Gunners' lead in the 52nd minute, taking Bukayo Saka's pass and curling a fine finish past Forest keeper Matz Sels from 20 yards. The 31-year-old's second goal this term – his other came in a win at Aston Villa – put Mikel Arteta's team on course for a first win in five league games.

ISMAILA SARR (Crystal Palace)

The winger netted in a 2-2 draw at Aston Villa as he finally ended his Premier League goal drought since a close-season move from Marseille. Sarr put Palace ahead in the fourth minute at Villa Park, dispatching Jean-Philippe Mateta's pass to finally get off the mark in the top-flight at the 12th attempt. The 26-year-old's only other goal for Palace came in the League Cup against second-tier Norwich in August.

ITALY

ADEMOLA LOOKMAN (Atalanta)

Nigerian international Lookman scored his team's third goal in a 3-1 win at Parma to help Atalanta briefly take top spot in Serie A on Saturday. It was a case of third time lucky for Lookman as he struck in the 75th minute from close-range after a cross from Juan Cuadrado -– earlier in the game he had the ball in the net twice but both were ruled out for offside.

FRANCE

HAMED TRAORE (Auxerre)

The Ivory Coast international snatched Auxerre a 1-0 win over Angers with a stoppage-time header for his sixth goal in 10 games since arriving on a season-long loan from Bournemouth. Traore is one goal shy of matching his career-high of seven he scored for Sassuolo in the 2021-22 season.