AFCON-bound African stars impressed across Europe as Mohamed Salah, Calvin Bassey and others delivered key performances for their clubs

Mohamed Salah will lead Egypt to the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco this week after making a telling impact for Liverpool amid growing uncertainty over his future at the Premier League club.

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The Liverpool forward came off the bench midway through the first half and provided the assist for Hugo Ekitike’s goal in a 2-0 league victory over Brighton at the weekend.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot insisted after the match that there was “no issue to resolve” with his star attacker, despite renewed speculation following Salah’s public frustration over his recent role at the club.

Salah had been omitted from Liverpool’s squad for the Champions League win over Inter Milan and had started three consecutive matches on the bench.

His claim last week that he had been “thrown under the bus” has fuelled talk of a possible January departure.

Across England, Nigerian defender Calvin Bassey was also among the standout performers.

The Fulham centre-back scored in a dramatic 3-2 away victory over Burnley, helping his side secure a first league win at Turf Moor since 1951.

Bassey’s close-range header was his first goal since March.

At Nottingham Forest, Ivory Coast midfielder Ibrahim Sangaré capped a dominant 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur with a powerful strike late in the match.

The goal was Sangaré’s second of the season and a timely boost for Forest’s battle to avoid relegation.

In Spain, Nigerian internationals Akor Adams and Chidera Ejuke marked their AFCON call-ups with goals as Sevilla thrashed Real Oviedo 4-0.

Adams opened the scoring inside four minutes, while Ejuke completed the rout near the end of the contest.

Germany also produced strong African contributions. Algeria’s Mohamed Amoura scored for the second straight Bundesliga match as Wolfsburg claimed a 3-1 win at Borussia Mönchengladbach, taking his league tally to six goals this season.

At Freiburg, Algeria defender Ramy Bensebaini netted Borussia Dortmund’s equaliser in a 1-1 draw, stepping up decisively as his side struggled to convert chances.

In France, Angers enjoyed a commanding 4-1 Ligue 1 victory over Nantes, with Algerian midfielder Himad Abdelli converting an early penalty and Cameroonian forward Harouna Djibirin sealing the win late on.

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With the Africa Cup of Nations imminent, the performances underlined the growing influence of AFCON-bound African stars across Europe’s top leagues, adding intensity and intrigue ahead of the continental showpiece.