In this column, we track the best Arab players plying their trade in the Premier League and round up their performances every week.
Mohamed Salah has become an ever-present in this column, starring again over the last week with a brace and an assist over two games as Premier League teams faced off in midweek before going again in the weekend.
Meanwhile, Riyad Mahrez seems to be enjoying an uptick in form under recently appointed Leicester City manager Claude Puel, and this week he delivered a performance that recalled his magical season of 2015-16, when his exploits helped Leicester win the league.
Here’s a look at how these Arab footballers fared this week.
MOHAMED SALAH
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp gave Salah some rest for the midweek match against Stoke City, dropping the Egyptian to the bench. No matter, as the Egyptian came on for the last twenty minutes and scored twice, to take his league goal tally to 12 this season. He’s two goals ahead of his nearest challenger, Harry Kane, thanks to that brace.
Salah then had arguably his least threatening game this season on Saturday against Brighton – and he still bagged an assist. Liverpool raced out to a 2-0 lead and then picked Brighton apart on the counter, a role for which Salah is extremely well-suited.
Salah’s pass set up Roberto Firmino‘s second goal of the game, and Liverpool’s third, in a move that started with Simon Mignolet making a point-blank save to prevent Brighton from cutting the deficit to 2-1. It was a quintessential Liverpool goal, and Salah was at the heart of the move.
Rating – 8/10
Mohamed Salah starred again against Stoke City.
RIYAD MAHREZ
Claude Puel’s arrival as Leicester City manager seems to be having an impact on Mahrez. The Algerian had been going through a long patch of indifferent form, but Puel is slowly coaxing the best out of him, as the manager is doing out of many of the Foxes’ other attacking players.
Mahrez delivered a trademark goal against Spurs in midweek, cutting in from the right flank and unleashing a thundering strike with his left foot to score Leicester’s second goal, the goal that turned out to be the winner.
His impact against Burnley was less obvious and flashy, but no less important, as he kept the Clarets’ defence honest and worked hard to help his side maintain the lead they took early in the game. Leicester City ended the week in ninth, and Mahrez had a big part to play in his side’s two wins.
Rating – 8/10
Trademark Riyad Mahrez.
SOFIANE BOUFAL
It was heartbreak for Sofiane Boufal and his Southampton teammates in midweek, as they so nearly earned a point at the home of Manchester City. Boufal was instrumental in Southampton’s fightback in that game, coming on as a substitute and setting up Oriol Romeu for the Saints’ equaliser at the Etihad Stadium.
Unfortunately, the league leaders scored in injury time to deny Boufal and Southampton what would have been a hard-fought point.
Boufal made enough of an impression in his cameo against City to be restored to the starting lineup against derby rivals Bournemouth on Sunday. Although unable to make the telling impact he did against Pep Guardiola‘s side, the Moroccan was a spark throughout, proving to be a nuisance for the Bournemouth defence in Southampton’s 1-1 draw.
Rating – 6.5/10
Sofiane Boufal was ecstatic after setting up Southampton’s equaliser.
