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African players in Europe: Salah set to be top EPL scorer again

Reigning African Footballer of the Year Mohamed Salah is poised to become the leading English Premier League scorer for the second successive season.

Liverpool's Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (R) celebrates with Liverpool's Scottish defender Andrew Robertson (L) after scoring their second goal during the English Premier League football match between Newcastle United and Liverpool at St James' Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, north east England on May 4, 2019.

The Egyptian netted before being carried off following a blow to the head as Liverpool triumphed 3-2 at Newcastle to keep the title race with Manchester City alive. His goal took his season's total to 22, two more than his closest challengers.

His Liverpool teammate Sadio Mane of Senegal, Gabon's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal and Argentine Sergio Aguero from Manchester City have 20 goals each.

ENGLAND

MOHAMED SALAH (LIVERPO0L)

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Egypt's Salah had a lot to live up to after an astonishing campaign last season but his strike against Newcastle took him to 22 Premier League goals for the campaign -- two clear of Manchester City's Sergio Aguero. Salah was taken off after a collision with Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka but Jurgen Klopp will be desperate to have him back for the final league game of the season.

CHRISTIAN ATSU (Newcastle)

Ghana international Atsu scored his first goal of the season, levelling for Newcastle as Rafael Benitez's team threatened to derail Liverpool's Premier League title quest. The 27-year-old midfielder cancelled out Virgil van Dijk's opener but his side eventually went down 3-2.

PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (Arsenal)

Gabon forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored an early penalty for Arsenal that took his Premier League tally for the season to 20. But it was not enough to win the game as Brighton scored from the spot themselves to earn a 1-1 draw and all but extinguish Arsenal's hopes of finishing in the top four.

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SPAIN

YOUSSEF EN-NESYRI (Leganes)

En-Nesyri helped Leganes stun Sevilla with a 3-0 victory in La Liga that seriously damaged their opponents' hopes of securing Champions League qualification. The Moroccan's curled finish into the top corner in the eighth minute set Leganes on their way to a superb win that leaves Sevilla three points adrift of Getafe in the race for fourth place. En-Nesyri has scored 12 goals this season, although this was his first since a hat-trick against Real Betis in February.

ITALY

JEREMIE BOGA (Sassuolo)

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Ivory Coast international Boga scored a 78th minute equaliser as Sassuolo came from 2-0 down to grab a point against already-relegated Frosinone.

KEITA BALDE DIAO (Inter Milan)

Senegalese striker Balde Diao came on as a late substitute but missed the chance to score the winner as Inter Milan were held to a third consecutive stalemate with a goalless draw at Udinese. Goalkeeper Juan Musso denied Keita at close range. The result means Inter Milan's Champions League ambitions are seriously under pressure.

GERMANY

SALOMON KALOU (Hertha Berlin)

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The veteran Ivorian striker netted as Hertha ended a seven-game winless run with a 3-1 home victory over Stuttgart. Kalou scored Hertha's third goal after Vedad Ibisevic opened the scoring in the first half to end a three-game goal drought for the Berliners.

ISHAK BELFODIL (Hoffenheim)

The Algerian forward missed one of several chances to win the game as Hoffenheim stumbled in the race for Europe in a 2-2 draw with Borussia Moenchengladbach. Belfodil had the chance to put Hoffenheim two goals up just after half-time as Gladbach twice came from behind to snatch a fortunate home draw.

MARCEL TISSERAND (Wolfsburg)

The Democratic Republic of Congo international scored his first Bundesliga goal as Wolfsburg beat Nuremberg 2-0. Centre-back Tisserand netted Wolfsburg's second in a crucial victory which saw them leapfrog Hoffenheim into the Europa League qualification spots.

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FRANCE

NICOLAS PEPE (Lille)

France-born Ivory Coast forward Pepe has been instrumental in Lille's fine run to the brink of Champions League football next season. His 20-goal haul has helped Lille all but guarantee finishing second and with it direct entry to the group stages of Europe's elite competition. While he didn't score in the 2-2 draw with Lyon, his pinpoint free-kick set up Boubakary Soumare for Lille's second goal.

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