African players have become part of the thrill and attention the Premier League brings each season and the 2022-23 season has seen a number of them display exceptional talents and qualities.
Afrosport takes a look at five of the best performers this term.
1. Thomas Partey (Arsenal)
The Ghanaian midfielder has been influential since arriving at the Emirates Stadium from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2020. Injuries have however blighted a considerable amount of his time in north London.
Indeed, Partey was absent for a key part of the previous season which meant the Gunners missed out on a chance to seal the top four and qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
The story has been different this term as he has mainly stayed fit and it has helped Arsenal mount a Premier League title challenge for the first time in more than a decade. They have also made the top four for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
2. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
The Reds have not been at their solid best this season, rather battling to make the top four compared to the title challenge with Manchester City that football fans have been accustomed to in recent seasons.
Regardless of their struggles, Salah has lived up to expectations as the club’s leading marksman. The Egypt international has netted 19 goals this term, making it six consecutive seasons he has scored a minimum of 19 goals since his arrival from Roma in 2017.
The two-time African Footballer of the Year has also been able to overtake the likes of Michael Owen, Kenny Daglish and Robbie Fowler on Liverpool’s all-time top-scorer list in fifth place.
Such speaks volumes of Salah’s quality and the assurance he will deliver the goods regardless of the form the club is in.
3. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City)
The Algerian winger has been a vital part of Pep Guardiola’s team since he joined from Leicester City in 2018 and this season is no different.
Mahrez has had a hand in 14 league goals (five goals, nine assists) in 26 outings, his best outing coming in a 4-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur with a goal and two assists. City currently leads the league with a game in hand over Arsenal and Mahrez is playing his part with four assists in their last three games.
With the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations winner’s presence, a third consecutive Premier League title and fifth overall for him and Guardiola looks almost certain judging by the Citizens current form.
4. Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford)
The Cameroon forward has been a key figure for the Bees since he joined them from Troyes in 2019 when they were still in the Championship.
Mbeumo’s goal contributions last season (four goals, seven assists) secured Brentford’s survival and for the current campaign, his 13 goal contributions (seven goals, six assists) have virtually guaranteed a top-10 finish having spent much of the season in the hunt for European football, a massive achievement for a team with barely two years of Premier League experience.
5. Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace)
The 24-year-old Anglo-Nigerian missed a huge chunk of the previous season due to an Achilles tendon injury but was back this term fitter and better.
Eze has played every single game this season, scoring 10 goals and providing three assists as Crystal Palace guaranteed their Premier League status for an 11th consecutive season.
There were periods when the South London outfit were off form, leading to the dismissal of Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira. Eze, however, remained the bright spark at Selhurst Park and the proof of his talent that has been evident since his days at Queens Park Rangers in the Championship.
With more of such displays from the Greenwich-born player, the prospect of a move to a bigger club will be difficult to ignore, while a decision on his international career to either represent England or Nigeria, will also intensify.
