Africa Cup of Nations players: The Premier League players still standing
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Which Africa Cup of Nations players from the Premier League are still in the competition?
The Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals get under way on Saturday when Gambia take on hosts Cameroon in Douala.
There has been plenty of Premier League participation in this year’s edition and 10 players still remain as the competition boils down to its last eight nations.
Here we look at the Africa Cup of Nations players from the Premier League who are still in with a chance of glory.
Sadio Mane – Senegal
The 29-year-old Liverpool forward has scored two of Senegal’s goals so far, including the opener in a 2-0 win over Cape Verde in the last 16 just moments after suffering a head injury. Mane’s presence up front is one of the reasons Senegal are now the 5/2 outright favourites to win the tournament, while Mane is 21/10 to score in a Senegal victory against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday.
Penalty or no penalty? 💭
Zimbabwe were punished in added-time, conceding a controversial penalty which was then scored by Sadio Mané ⚽ pic.twitter.com/nbjKX68aef
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 10, 2022
Mohamed Salah – Egypt
The Premier League top goalscorer has only managed one goal so far, grabbing the winner in a 1-0 victory against Guinea during the group stage. He also scored the winning penalty as Egypt knocked out Ivory Coast in the last 16 and is the 4/1 favourite to score first when the Pharaohs face Morocco on Sunday.
Mohamed Elneny – Egypt
The Arsenal midfielder has featured in every game so far and his stellar performance against Ivory Coast earned him the man-of-the-match award in their penalty shoot-out victory over Ivory Coast.
Romain Saiss – Morocco
Saiss has featured heavily this season for Wolves, helping them to a total of eight clean sheets in the Premier League so far, and has transferred his form over to the national team which has earned victories over Ghana, Comoros and Malawi so far. Saiss and the Moroccans are 29/20 favourites to beat Egypt in normal time on Sunday.
Adam Masina – Morocco
Masina will be welcomed back to England by a new manager in the form of Roy Hodgson when his Africa Cup of Nations stint comes to an end. The 28-year-old has managed to keep two clean sheets in the tournament so far – something he has not managed to do with Watford this term – and Morocco are 23/20 for another clean sheet against Egypt.
Edouard Mendy – Senegal
The Chelsea goalkeeper was forced to miss Senegal’s first two matches after testing positive for Covid-19 but was brought straight back into the team despite his deputy keeping two clean sheets. Mendy has done just as well, shutting out Malawi and Cape Verde, and Senegal are 8/15 to keep yet another clean sheet against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday.
Trezeguet – Egypt
The Aston Villa midfielder has played in every game throughout the competition but his last three appearances have come off the bench since starting in a 1-0 defeat to Nigeria in their first fixture. The 27-year-old will be keen to earn a place back in the starting XI against Morocco.
Nampalys Mendy – Senegal
The 29-year-old midfielder is the only one of Leicester’s Africa Cup of Nations players remaining in the tournament after Nigeria pair Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho, and Ghana’s Daniel Amartey all returned after being knocked out. Mendy has been heavily linked with a move away from the King Power Stadium but should feature for Senegal in the quarter-final on Sunday, with the January transfer window closing a day later.
Bertrand Traore- Burkina Faso
The Aston Villa forward has chipped in with a goal and an assist for Burkina Faso, including the opener in their 1-1 draw with Gabon which Les Etalons went on to win on penalties. Traore and Burkina Faso will face Tunisia on Saturday for a place in the semi-finals but they are 11/5 underdogs to win in normal time.
Hannibal Mejbri – Tunisia
Rarely seen for Manchester United throughout the early stages of his career, the 19-year-old has only made one senior appearance for the Red Devils in a 2-1 win over Wolves on the final day of last season. Hannibal has played twice in midfield for Tunisia and will be tested once again against Burkina Faso.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
