Salah among four players to watch during AFCON, says El Hadji Diouf

Senegal legend El Hadji Diouf said that Salah is among the top four players to watch in the African Cup of Nations. He also discussed Senegal’s chances of lifting the trophy.

This African Cup of Nations is filled with players that have impressed during the past season such as Ivory Coast’s Nicolas Pepe, who scored 22 goals for Lille this season. Or Inter Milan’s Keita Balde.

However former Senegal forward said that Salah, Hakim Ziyech, Said Mane and Riyad Mahrez are the four players to watch during this tournament.

“There are four in my opinion. The first is Hakim Ziyech from Morocco. He is very good technically. He is one of the best African players at the moment. Everyone is talking about Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané but what Ziyech did with Ajax is great,” Diouf told cafonline.com.

“For Salah and Mané, the duel continues just as when I played against Eto’o and Drogba. Both play for Liverpool, scored 22 goals and won the UEFA Champions League just before coming here. Winning the AFCON puts you in a better position to be crowned CAF Player of the Year.

“Finally, Riyad Mahrez of Algeria. He’s fresh and we know that when Algeria play well, he is dangerous,” he added.

Morocco’s Hakim Ziyech managed to lift the league double in with Ajax and helped in their staggering Champions League, where they got knocked-out of the Champions League campaign.

As for Riyad Marhrez, he helped Manchester City win their second Premier League title, scoring seven and providing four assists along the way.

The former Liverpool man then talked about Senegal’s chances in winning their first ever African Cup of Nations:

“Senegal has very good players but now you have to find the balance to have a very good team. We have already seen teams with good players who cannot play together. The AFCON is won with balance and sacrifice. We have to sacrifice and think of the country to write the most beautiful page in Senegalese football history. Every year, we are among the favourites and we have a golden generation but we have not won the trophy,” he concluded.

The Teranga Lions are currently second in Group C with three points, three behind Algeria. They will need a win or a draw in their next game against Kenya to secure direct qualification to the round of 16.