Ethan Nwaneri arrived as ‘selfish’ Mohamed Salah prepares to exit?

Mohamed Salah and Ethan Nwaneri may be at opposite ends of their careers, but as one of the stars of the African Premier League continues – increasingly? — looking towards the sunset, this weekend could have seen the launch of a brilliant high-flying career for the Anglo-Nigerian prodigy.

In Italy, Ademola Lookman proved – once again – why he is the hot favorite for the CAF African Footballer of the Year title, while Amad Diallo suggested he could help Ruben Amorim solve a tactical conundrum at Manchester United.

As Arsenal’s form has evolved in recent weeks, with the title hopes taking two points from a possible 12 in the Premier League, Mikel Arteta has increasingly listened to calls to introduce prodigy Nwaneri into the fray.

The 17-year-old was given a half-hour against Newcastle earlier this month, after playing against Preston North End in the EFL Cup, and was given another brief appearance this weekend as the Gunners ended their winless streak with a score of 3-0. Nottingham Forest.

Nwaneri may have been involved for less than ten minutes, but the youngster’s late goal – his first in the Prem – was the perfect highlight on a performance that has injected renewed vigor into the Gunners’ title fight.

Four minutes from time, as Forest’s defense faded, he was on hand to respond to Raheem Sterling’s cross with a fine left-footed strike, becoming London’s second-youngest scorer behind Cesc Fabregas.

“I am incredibly proud and happy,” Nwaneri told the club official. “He’s such a big name, and I’m right behind him, so it’s a good achievement and I’m happy. “I’m excited, but I’m just ready for more. Just keep pushing,” he continued. “I know Raheem is a good player and can find players in the box, so I wasn’t shocked when he found me.

“It was just an instinct to put it in the bottom corner.”

Nwaneri, a record

The youngster is already no stranger to records; He was the youngest player to play in England’s top division when – aged 15 years and 181 days – he made his league debut against Brentford in September 2022.

“I was just grateful to him. He helped me again this season, so I’m happy,” Nwaneri added. “I’m just coming to show what I can do. I’m just impacting the game as usual.”

He needed just two minutes against Forest to open his Premier League account, although Arteta was perhaps more encouraged by the starlet’s confidence in possession, his brilliant moves, his creativity with the ball at his feet and his dynamism during a brief but brilliant appearance.

“I’m always tempted (to give him more playing time),” Arteta told reporters after the match. “I think he is the second youngest player at the club to score in the Premier League.

“Today is another reason to put him out there, but that’s when I play him and not someone else. It’s step by step, I would say. “

He will no doubt have his ups and downs over the coming months and years, but the Spanish manager can be quietly confident that, with the ebullient Nwaneri as an option on the bench, Arsenal could have a wild card up their sleeve then as he seeks to settle the match. tightest encounters and tip the balance of the championship in their favor this season.

“What I can’t do myself is manage expectations,” Arteta continued. “I will try to educate him, raise him and give him the path that we think is best.

“His family, his agent, his friends, they will also be very important. Don’t listen to too much noise, focus on what he does, which is playing football and he loves every minute of it and good things will happen for him, that’s for sure.”

Ghanaian Thomas Partey, who missed his country’s miserable international break after a one-on-one with head coach Otto Addo, added the Gunners’ second goal after Bukayo Saka opened the scoring.

Receiving the ball from Saka, the central midfielder found himself in space, lent back and headed a strike beyond Matz Sels from outside the box a few minutes into the second period. Partey then dedicated the goal to his newly born daughter, Alaia, in a social media post after the match.

Is Salah selfish?

While Nwaneri has only just scored the first of (hopefully) many Premier League goals, he has a very long way to go to catch up with Mohamed Salah, whose double this weekend takes him to 167 goals since his arrival in England.

However, with the Arsenal prodigy just making his first steps into the top flight, there is a growing sense that Salah could be reaching the end of the road at Liverpool, with the veteran striker looking increasingly frustrated by contract negotiations at Anfield.

“It’s almost December and I haven’t received any offers to stay at the club yet,” Salah said after scoring twice in the 3-2 win over Southampton on Sunday. “I’m probably more out than in.”

It is not the first time the striker has appeared to turn attention away from an encouraging Liverpool display to focus back on himself and his continued anticipation of a new deal on Merseyside.

“I’m very disappointed in Mo Salah,” Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football show. “Liverpool have Real Madrid in midweek and Man City at the weekend. That’s the story at the moment.

“If he continues to make comments, his agent broadcasts cryptic messages, it’s selfish. It’s thinking about himself and not the football club.”

Bad timing on Salah’s part, perhaps, but on the other hand, the 32-year-old acknowledges his stock is high after 10 goals and six assists in 12 Premier League matches so far this season , including a double against the Saints.

The hosts were leading 2-1 when Salah equalized in the 65th minute, capitalizing on a gross error of judgment from the rusty Alex McCarthy to race into an empty net with a smart left-footed finish.

With seven minutes remaining, with Southampton cracking under Liverpool pressure, substitute Yukinari Sugawara clumsily handled Salah’s cross into the box, and the Egyptian quickly stepped up to take the penalty and take all three points.

This goal prompted a theatrical celebration from the Egyptian king; shirt off, abs flaring, booking knowingly received, but the message was clear: he may be 32, but Salah is in impeccable shape, is still Liverpool’s star man and – according to him – worth every penny he asks.

“We always know that we can trust him if things are difficult for us,” stressed Arne Slot during his post-match press conference.

Diallo helps Amorim

Ruben Amorim’s first match as Manchester United manager was the most anticipated event of the Premier League weekend, and although the 1-1 draw against Ipswich Town proved a valuable occasion for the new man to see the extent of the work that awaited him, he will surely be delighted with what he saw from Amad Diallo.

The Ivorian player has been mooted as one of several potential options to fill a winger role in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation, and has finally been given the opportunity to prove what he can do with an unknown case against the Tractor Boys.

It was an encouraging performance, as Diallo, surging down the right flank, beating the home defenders with a slalom run, was responsible for Marcus Rashford’s opening goal, opening the Amorim era kick-off inside a minute and half.

He finished the match by creating two scoring chances, testing Arijanet Muric with a shot and making a series of key defensive interventions – no one in the match made more clearances than Diallo’s five.

It remains to be seen whether Diallo can be a long-term solution at this position, but based on this performance he has the potential to tailor his game to Amorim’s specific demands. Finally, to Germany, where Ademola Lookman impressed again for Atalanta as they beat Parma 3-1 away.

The Nigerian added La Dea’s third goal in the 75th minute, after being spotted by Juan Cuadrado, after seeing a goal ruled out for offside.

The goal was Lookman’s seventh of the Serie A season so far, with the 27-year-old having contributed to 11 goals in 10 outings in the Italian top flight as Atalanta moved up to second place, just one point from Naples.

With just under three weeks until the 2024 CAF Awards ceremony, which will crown the African Footballer of the Year, Lookman proves once again why he is the hot favorite for this award.