THE 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations kicks off at the weekend, with holders Senegal favourites to retain their title, earned in no small part to the pivotal role played by Sadio Mané, then one of the stars of Liverpool’s frontline.
A large number of Premier League players have left our shores for the competition, a temporary exodus which is sure to hit clubs hard, albeit some more than others.
Over 30 Premier League players are participating in AFCON 2023, with a certain Mohamed Salah the undoubted biggest name.
Since his debut for Liverpool at the start of the 2017-18 campaign, the Egyptian magician tops the Premier League rankings for goals scored and total goal involvement, with only Kevin De Bruyne managing more assists.
However, rather surprisingly, the Reds have done better when Salah hasn’t started for them in the Premier League, both in terms of win rate and points per game, something borne out by their recent wins over Arsenal in the league and Fulham in the League Cup.
Elsewhere, Tottenham will have to do without their impressive midfield engine room of Yves Bissouma (Mali) and Pape Sarr (Senegal), with the former winning more duels than any other Spurs player in the top-flight this season (103) and the latter winning back possession 91 times (3rd best for his club).
Fellow Londoners Brentford also lose two players, via Congo DR’s Yoanne Wissa and Nigeria’s Frank Onyeka, both regulars for the Bees this season. Indeed, Wissa in particular is a big loss, with the attacker the club’s second top-scorer in the Premier League this season (4), behind the injured Bryan Mbeumo (7) who himself would have been lining out for Cameroon.
Indeed, Wissa is currently the club’s third top-scorer in the competition’s history as well as making the second-most appearances.
Nottingham Forest see the highest number of players depart for the competition this January, with a whopping six of their squad headed south, and that’s without injured goal-getter Taiwo Awoniyi (Nigeria).
Each of those six players have made 10+ appearances for the Tricky Trees in the league this season and will no doubt be missed as the club fight to get themselves clear of a dreaded relegation battle.
Another high-profile player set for AFCON 2023 is Manchester United’s goalkeeper André Onana, a man who has endured a tricky start to his career at Old Trafford. However, in the Premier League this season, the Cameroon shot-stopper has registered some impressive figures, with only three other ‘keepers posting a better Goals Prevented tally while he’s yet to make a single error leading to a goal in the competition.
Onana is one of a select band of goalkeepers, being just the fifth African glovesman to appear between the sticks in the Premier League.
Other notable Premier League players hoping for AFCON glory this month include Chelsea’s somewhat misfiring striker Nicolas Jackson (Senegal), West Ham’s exciting attacker Mohammed Kudus (Ghana), Fulham’s in-form midfielder Alex Iwobi (Nigeria), Manchester United midfielder Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco) and the Bournemouth duo of Dango Outtara (Burkino Faso) and Antoine Semenyo (Ghana).
Overall, the impact of African players has been astounding, with the number appearing in the Premier League booming, a far cry from the four who graced the competition in the first couple of seasons – Nigerians George Ndah (Crystal Palace) and Efan Ekoku (Norwich City) and the Zimbabwe duo of Bruce Grobbelaar (Liverpool) and the first to appear on August 19th 1992, Peter Ndlovu (Coventry City).
Those Forest players still have some way to go to make it into the all-time Premier League appearance charts, with Arsenal Invincible Kolo Touré top of the pile on 353.
Forest’s Kouyaté and Crystal Palace attacker Jordan Ayew are the only two players in the top 10 who are headed for AFCON 2023, with Ayew’s Eagles teammate Jeff Schlupp not called up by Ghana (Salah is just outside the top 10 with 251 appearances overall).
Kolo’s more attack-minded brother, Yaya, makes it onto the top 10 goal rankings, a chart topped by the omnipresent Mr. Salah. The Egyptian will no doubt be looking to take that goalscoring form into AFCON and wipeout the final penalty shootout defeat against Senegal last time out.
Not to forget the architects of all those goals, guess who is top of the assists rankings?! Yeah, him. However, a shout-out needs to be given to Chelsea legend, Didier Drogba, with the Ivorian in the top three for both goals and assists by an African player in the Premier League.
All in all, 393 African players have appeared in the Premier League, with Nigeria the country boasting the most and Fulham the club with the most.
From Benin to Burundi and Togo to Tanzania, African players total contribution to football in England cannot be overstated. Here’s to our African stars and to another cracking AFCON!
