Ed Dove, Special to ESPNDec 24, 2024, 07:55 AM
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Newly crowned African Footballer of the Year Ademola Lookman celebrated his coronation in style this weekend as he was back among the goals for Atalanta in their 3-2 victory over Empoli, ensuring they remained atop Serie A.
Nigeria's Lookman may have been named Africa's finest at the CAF Awards last Monday, but you'd be hard pressed to argue that he's enjoying a better season than Mohamed Salah, who had a hand in four goals during Liverpool's 6-3 demolition of Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Less than a week on from becoming Nigeria's seventh African Footballer of the Year, Lookman demonstrated - once again - why he won the expert vote at last Monday's glitzy ceremony to be named the continent's outstanding player for 2024.
If he can maintain his recent form, the 27-year-old will be a contender again in 12 months' time, with his latest goal for Atalanta his ninth in his last 11 matches for the unlikely Serie A leaders.
This was an unconvincing showing from the would-be champions, with Lookman only giving the hosts a 2-1 lead in the 46th minute after Empoli had taken a 13th-minute lead.
It was a goal that once again showcased Lookman's outstanding talent as a close-range goal poacher - not a perception he enjoyed until recently in his career. Thinking quickly in a packed Empoli box, he held off the defender with impressive upper-body strength, collected Nicolo Zaniolo's knock-down, and in fluid motion, prodded a right-footed shot beyond Devis Vásquez.
Nigeria striker Ademola Lookman's scoring run continued against Empoli, cementing why he won the CAF Men's Footballer of the Year a week prior. Image Photo Agency/Getty Images
Beyond his goal, it was a frustrating outing for Lookman, who was closely marked by the attentive Saba Goglichidze. Despite this, he still managed to create two goalscoring opportunities for teammates, and completed more successful dribbles than any other player on the pitch.
It's a win that keeps Gianpiero Gasperi's site in first place in the Italian top tier, two points clear of Napoli in second. With Lookman spearheading the charge, La Dea are on an 11-game winning streak in Serie A, and haven't been beaten domestically since September 28.
Lookman's latest strike takes his tally to nine goals in 14 league outings this term, with the newly crowned AFOTY currently fourth in the league's goalscoring charts behind only Marcus Thuram, Mateo Regegui and Moise Kean.
Atalanta were founded in 1907, but have never before won Serie A. However, having already made history with the club - netting a hat-trick in their unexpected Europa League success - and having witnessed compatriot Victor Boniface help inspire Bayer Leverkusen to their first ever Bundesliga triumph last term, you wouldn't put domestic glory beyond Lookman and co.
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Salah's departure a Ghost of Christmas Future for Reds fans
While Lookman's 2025 is set to be a fascinating watch - not least with Premier League transfer rumours still swirling - the coming months for Salah are set to be must-watch viewing, both on and off the pitch.
While Liverpool fans' hopes that Salah would sign a new contract at Anfield as a perfect Christmas gift for the club's supporters have not been realised, the Egyptian certainly did ensure some festive cheer for the red half of Merseyside as he inspired the Reds to a 6-3 rout at Spurs on Sunday.
Neither Liverpool nor Salah needed to be at their exhilarating best to put six past the hapless hosts, but they weren't too far off at times, with the Pharaohs great weighing in with some key interventions as the Reds, toying with their opponents, found a cutting edge.
With Spurs repeatedly failing to limit the space and time the North African enjoyed, he hit the crossbar from relatively close range when he should have done better, and re-established the visitors' two-goal advantage when he played in Dominik Szoboszlai in first-half stoppage time to effective neutralise legitimate hopes of a Tottenham comeback.
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Echegaray: Salah will go down as a top-five Premier League player
Luis Miguel Echegaray reacts to another stellar Mohamed Salah performance in Liverpool's thumping 6-3 win over Tottenham.
Within the first 16 minutes of the second half, Salah added two more, giving Liverpool a 5-1 lead that was among their most striking statements of championship credentials yet this season.
For his first, less than 10 minutes after the start of the second half, he was on hand to finish from close range after Spurs failed to clear Cody Gakpo's cross and poor Archie Gray could only pass the ball to the Egyptian's feet. It was the last thing the Lilywhites needed.
Seven minutes later, he'd added the visitors' fifth, again breaking through the opposition lines with Szoboszlai, and again finishing calmly from close range.
His double took his goal tally to 15 in 16 league games so far this season, now taking him two clear of Erling Haaland amidst the Norwegian's ongoing malaise at Manchester City.
He added a late assist for Diaz's second - and Liverpool's sixth - to move up to 11 assists for the campaign. For context, no one has more, with Salah now one clear of Bukayo Saka.
The 32-year-old is comfortably the division's outstanding player so far this term, and could yet match his 21-22 achievement of simultaneously topping the league's goals and assists charts come the season's ends.
In the Premier League, Salah has now equalled David Beckham no less in the 'all-time' assists charts, while he's only three goals off Thierry Henry, currently seventh among Prem goalscorers since the league's inauguration.
It would be remarkable if that achievement coincided with Liverpool releasing him on a free transfer...