AFRICAN STARS: Lookman takes Atalanta top of Serie A

Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa have been two of the most influential African players in the Premier League this season and they were instrumental in Brentford continuing their stunning home form.

There was also a late winner for Atalanta as Ademola Lookman helped them to the top of the Serie A table on another fine weekend for Africa’s star players.

BRYAN MBEUMO (CAMEROON & BRENTFORD)

No team in the premier League has picked up more points at home that Brentford, who have 22 from a possible 24 this campaign, more even than leaders Liverpool. A bog part of that has been the superb form of Mbeumo, who along with Yoane Wissa is part of a formidable frontline that has seen the side score 26 goals in eight home games this campaign, more than three per match. They were at it again on Saturday as they defeated Newcastle United 4-2, with Mbeumo scoring one goal and assisting another. His goal was a brilliant solo run in which he picked up the ball on the right wing, cut inside and beat several defenders before curling the ball into the corner of the net. He then laid on an assist for Kevin Schade when showed great feet on the edge of the Newcastle box before slipping the ball through to the forward to score. Mbeumo now has nine goals and two assists in 15 games this season.

YOANE WISSA (DR CONGO & BRENTFORD)

Wissa also scored his ninth goal of the campaign for Brentford when he netted in the first half to give his side a 2-1 lead over Newcastle. It was a brilliant finish too as he picked up a stray Newcastle pass and drove towards goal, before unleashing a superb curling effort into the corner of the net from the edge of the box. He also has a single assist this season for 10 goal contributions in all. Between Mbeumo and Wissa they have been involved in 21 of Brentford’s 31 goals this campaign.

TARIQ LAMPTEY (GHANA & BRIGHTON)

Brighton & Hive Albion will wonder how they did not beat struggling Leicester as they led 2-0 into the 86th minute but had to settle for a 2-2 draw in the end. But they took the lead on 37 minutes through Lamptey, his first Premier League goal since November 2020! It was a brilliant strike as he picked up the ball on the right and cut inside before curling a superb shot into the far corner, leaving the keeper no chance. Lamptey has been struck down with injury in recent seasons, but when fit is a top player. That is a goal and two assists in two Premier League starts this season.

YANKUBA MINTEH (GAMBIA & BRIGHTON)

Minteh has made a good start to life at Brighton following his move from Newcastle United at the start of the season, even if he has struggled a little bit with injury. He scored his side’s second goal against Leicester, his second of the season to go with an assist. Minteh showed his quick feet to twist and turn in the box before firing the ball low into the bottom corner of the net. Sadly for Brighton, Leicester pulled a goal back in the 86th minute through Jamie vardy and then got an equaliser in injury-time thanks to Bobby De Cordova-Reid.

DANGO OUATTARA (BURKINA FASO & BOURNEMOUTH)

Ouattara came up with a 95th minute winner for Bournemouth as they beat struggling Ipswich, having also laid on the first for his side as they equalised with three minutes to go. He now has two goals and two assists this campaign. He laid on the equaliser for Enes Ünal. His cross from the left was perfect for the striker to head into the goal off the defender. And then he fired in the winner, as Ipswich failed to clear a low cross, smashing the ball into the back of the net at the back post.

AMAD DIALLO (IVORY COAST & MANCHESTER UNITED)

Manchester United’s topsy-turvy season continued with a 3-2 home loss to Nottingham Forest that will be a major disappointment for new manager Ruben Amorim and illustrates the depth of the job he has at hand to turn around the fortunes of the team. But Diallo continues to shine and he had a hand in his side's second as he went on a superb run down the right wing before laying the ball back for Bruno Fernandes to score. That was his sixth assist of the season, the joint third most in the Premier League this season along with Cole Palmer (6), and behind Mohamed Salah (8) and Bukayo Saka (10).

ADEMOLA LOOKMAN (NIGERIA & ATALANTA)

Atalanta stretched their winning streak in all competitions to 10 with a 2-1 home victory over AC Milan in Serie A as they sit two points clear at the top of the table. As ever, Lookman was influential as he scored the winner three minutes from the end after the game had appeared to be heading for a draw. He headed in at the back post after a set-piece into the box was flicked into his path. He now has eight goals and four assists in just 11 Serie A starts this season, making him one of the best performers in the league.

JACKSON TCHATCHOUA (CAMEROON & HELLAS VERONA)

Verona remain in the bottom three after they suffered a heavy 4-1 home loss to Empoli, who climb up to ninth. It was a tough day in the office for the hosts, whose only joy came when Tchatchoua laid on a goal for Casper Tengstedt with some good work on the right wing to make it 3-1 after just 35 minutes. However, any thoughts of a comeback were quashed as Empoli scored again. It was Tchatchoua’s second assist of the season to go with a single goal.

YOUSSEF MALEH (MOROCCO & EMPOLI)

On the other side was Maleh, who had a hand in Empoli’s third goal as he grabbed his first assist of the season. His fine pass into Liberato Cacace in the box saw the latter fire the ball into the net via a deflection. Morocco international Maleh is growing in stature at Empoli and will now be seeking his first goal of the campaign He has not netted since a strike for Fiorentina in December 2021!

INAKI WILLIAMS (GHANA & ATHLETIC BILBAO)

Athletic Bilbao sit comfortably in fourth place in LaLiga following a run of four straight victories which leaves them six points ahead of Villarreal in fifth. This comes after they beat the latter 2-0 on Sunday, with their Ghana international wing Williams netting the second goal of the game. He showed all of his pace to race onto a perfect through ball and under some pressure from the defender, fired low into the back of the net. That is now four goals and four assists in 15 LaLiga matches this campaign.

PATHE CISS (SENEGAL & RAYO VALLECANO)

Rayo Vallecano ended a run of three straight losses when they claimed a 1-0 win at struggling Valencia on Saturday, handed to them by a lone goal from Cisse after only seven minutes. It was redemption in a way for the Senegalese after he was sent off in a Copa del Ray clash in midweek, and is his first LaLiga goal for more than a year. The goal was scored after seven minutes with a towering header from a corner and the visitors were able to hold on for a valuable three points.

ILAIX MORIBA (GUINEA & CELTA VIGO)

Celta Vigo moved up to 10th in LaLiga with a comfortable 2-0 home win over eighth-placed Mallorca. Their opener was scored just past the half-hour mark by Hugo Álvarez, who was teed-up by Moriba as he shifted the ball to the former in the box and he provided an expert finish. It was a first goal contribution of the season for the 21-year-old.

SEKELA SITHOLE (MARUMO GALLANTS & SOUTH AFRICA)

Marumo Gallants came from a goal down to claim a handsome 3-1 victory over promoted Magesi FC in the Betway Premiership, with Sithole having a hand in two of the goals as he provided assists. Sithole laid on a pass into the box for Xola Mlambo to equalise for Gallants after they had fallen behind, before Phathutshedzo Nange headed in Sithole’s corner to make it 2-1 to the home side. Gallants are up to 10th in the table with 10 points from eight games.