African Players In Europe: Goal King Salah Turns Creator

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah shoots against Manchester City - AFP

Asharq Al Awsat

09:15-28 November 2023 AD ـ 16 Jumada Al-Ula 1445 AH

Asharq Al Awsat

09:15-28 November 2023 AD ـ 16 Jumada Al-Ula 1445 AH

African Players In Europe: Goal King Salah Turns Creator

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah shoots against Manchester City - AFP

Prolific Liverpool scorer Mohamed Salah turned creator at the weekend, setting up Trent Alexander-Arnold to equalize and force a 1-1 Premier League draw at Manchester City.

Defending champions City are second and Liverpool third behind leaders Arsenal in a tight title race with only two points separating the top three.

It was a profitable weekend for Nigerians with Ademola Lookman scoring in Italy, Umar Sadiq in Spain and Terem Moffi in France.

The Egypt forward provided the assist as Jurgen Klopp's side escaped with a 1-1 draw from their meeting with Manchester City. Liverpool kicked off at the Etihad Stadium in second place behind City and it was Pep Guardiola's men who drew first blood when Erling Haaland fired home for his 50th Premier League goal in the first half. But Salah helped Liverpool peg back the treble winners in the closing stages when his pass found Alexander-Arnold, who drilled a low shot into the far corner to ensure the two title heavyweights finished level, AFP report highlighted.

- UMAR SADIQ (Real Sociedad)

Sadiq netted his first goal of the season for Real Sociedad in their 2-1 win over Sevilla. The 26-year-old failed to find the net in his first 11 appearances for the club this season in La Liga, but ended his drought with a brilliant strike as he ripped an effort into the top corner from more than 25 yards.

- YOUSSEF EN-NESYRI (Sevilla)

The Moroccan forward continued his good form with a fourth goal in seven league games, but it was not enough to rescue his team a point at Real Sociedad. The striker converted a downward header from close range, showing his predatory instincts in the box.

- ERIC MAXIM CHOUPO-MOTING (Bayern Munich)

Handed just a second league start this season, the Cameroon striker provided impetus and energy in Bayern's 1-0 win over Cologne. While Choupo-Moting has fallen down the pecking order since the arrival of England captain Harry Kane, he created the game's only goal. With 20 minutes gone, Bayern counterattacked and Choupo-Moting's shot was cleared off the line into the path of Kane, who slotted home.

- TEREM MOFFI (Nice)

The Nigerian was perfectly positioned in the 54th minute to score off a swift counterattack and give second-placed Nice a 1-0 home win over lowly Toulouse. It was the fourth goal of the Ligue 1 campaign for the 24-year-old, who played in Lithuania and Belgium before moving to France three years ago.

Jude Bellingham’s Brother Jobe Gets First England Call-up

Football - UEFA Champions League - Borussia Dortmund v Real Betis - Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund, Germany - November 4, 2026 Borussia Dortmund's Jobe Bellingham in action with Real Betis' Nelson Deossa. (Reuters)

11:41-6 November 2026 AD ـ 26 Jumada Al-Ula 1448 AH

Jude Bellingham’s Brother Jobe Gets First England Call-up

Jobe Bellingham was named alongside older brother Jude in Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the first time on Friday as Chelsea's Cole Palmer missed out.

Fulham teenager Josh King has also been handed his first call-up ahead of Nations League games against Croatia and Spain.

Tuchel said in September that Palmer "misses too many opportunities" to impress at international level after he pulled out of England's previous squad due to injury.

The Chelsea star, who was not included for the World Cup, has been left out as Tuchel takes the opportunity to look at younger options with a place in the quarter-finals of the Nations League almost guaranteed.

Jobe Bellingham, 21, has been rewarded for a strong start to his second season at Borussia Dortmund, where Jude also played for three seasons before moving to Real Madrid.

King has impressed despite Fulham's struggles in the Premier League, while Liverpool's 18-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha is also included.

"Lee Carsley (the England under-21 coach) is talking highly about Jobe since weeks and months that he deserves, if there is a spot and if there is a possibility to join and to make an impression in the first team," Tuchel said in a video posted by England on their social media channels.

"He has had good matches now and he's on a good run of form with Dortmund so he deserves to be with us."

England are second in group A3 after four games, with three wins and a defeat, against Spain at Wembley.

The Three Lions host Croatia, whom they beat 7-0 last month, on Thursday before travelling to take on Spain with just one point needed to qualify for the knockout rounds in March.

Newly crowned Ballon d'Or winner Harry Kane is set to surpass Peter Shilton as England's most-capped men's player after drawing level with the former goalkeeper on 125 appearances against the Czech Republic.

England squad

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jason Steele (Brighton), James Trafford (Leeds)

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid/ESP), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle), Ezri Konsa, Ben White (both Arsenal), Djed Spence (Inter Milan/ITA), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen/GER)

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Manchester City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid/ESP), Jobe Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund/GER), James Garner (Everton), Josh King (Fulham), Myles Lewis-Skelly, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze (all Arsenal)

Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich/GER), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds), Anthony Gordon (Barcelona/ESP), Rio Ngumoha (Liverpool), Morgan Rogers (Chelsea), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest)

Sports

Bayern’s Danks Eager for Break After Rollercoaster Weeks

Bayern's assistant coach Aaron Danks waits for the start of the Champions League opening phase match between Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (AP)

10:26-6 November 2026 AD ـ 26 Jumada Al-Ula 1448 AH

Bayern’s Danks Eager for Break After Rollercoaster Weeks

Bayern's assistant coach Aaron Danks waits for the start of the Champions League opening phase match between Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. (AP)

Bayern Munich ‌assistant coach Aaron Danks is looking forward to the international break next week after stepping in to replace Vincent Kompany following his illness in the past two weeks, he said on Friday.

Kompany collapsed on the training pitch on October 23 and was rushed to hospital. He was later diagnosed with meningeal irritation and has since been recovering at home.

Danks has led the team to three wins and a draw in ‌his four ‌matches in charge, including Tuesday's 2-0 ‌Champions ⁠League victory at ⁠Atletico Madrid and a 6-1 demolition of Magdeburg in the German Cup.

"Obviously, I am someone who wants to learn so it was a good challenge for me, but the circumstances were not something I would have hoped or wished for," Danks told a ⁠press conference. "It is not like I am ‌happy for this opportunity ‌but I have embraced it and learned a lot."

While there ‌is no date for Kompany's return to work, ‌the international break after this weekend's matches will give both the Belgian and Danks time to rest.

Bayern, top of the Bundesliga, ahead of Borussia Dortmund on goal difference, travel ‌to Mainz 05 on Saturday.

"I am looking forward to the rest and the ⁠break, especially ⁠for me, to get back home to see the family," Danks said. "Hopefully after a victory I can fly home and spend time with the family in a nice way."

He said the team had so far delivered, with Danks and his coaching staff drawing on the work of the past two and a half years with Kompany.

"It has been about sticking a lot to our processes. It's been difficult, but I think we have done it through Vince's lens, through his leadership style," Danks said.

Sports

Sinner to Replace Coach Cahill with Magnus Norman at Year’s End

Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates after winning during his Australian Open fourth round match against Italy's Luciano Darderi at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 26, 2026. (Reuters)

10:07-6 November 2026 AD ـ 26 Jumada Al-Ula 1448 AH

Sinner to Replace Coach Cahill with Magnus Norman at Year’s End

Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates after winning during his Australian Open fourth round match against Italy's Luciano Darderi at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia, Jan. 26, 2026. (Reuters)

Jannik Sinner confirmed on Friday that Magnus Norman will replace his long-time coach Darren Cahill, who helped shape the Italian into the world's top tennis player.

In a statement, world number two Sinner said that he would conclude his partnership with Cahill, which began in June 2022, "at the end of the 2026 season".

Working with Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi, Sinner has become the pre-eminent figure in men's tennis alongside Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz.

Sinner is already the most successful Italian tennis player of all time at the age of 25, a five-time Grand Slam winner who last year became the first man from his country to win Wimbledon.

"I want to thank Darren for his belief in me, his honesty and his dedication. He has helped me grow both as a player and as a person, and his guidance will stay with me throughout my career," said Sinner.

"We have shared so many special moments over the past five years, and while our coaching partnership is coming to an end, our friendship will continue."

Sinner has been injured since winning Wimbledon for the second straight year in July, and lost his spot at the top of the men's world rankings to Alexander Zverev.

He is set to return to action in the "Six Kings Slam" tournament in Saudi Arabia in December.

African Players In Europe: Goal King Salah Turns Creator

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