Africans to watch this weekend

The pick of this weekend’s games in the Premier League sees Liverpool travel to Manchester City with a possibility of supplanting the Citizens on the table.

In Serie A, Kalidou Koulibaly and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa’s Napoli could edge ahead of Ismael Bennacer and Franck Kessie in Serie A if they better AC Milan’s result this weekend.

With Thomas Partey out for several weeks, African supporters will not witness another midfield battle between the pair when Arsenal host Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

Bissouma and his teammates were booed off in their last game against cellar-dwelling Norwich City, although that result ended a run of six successive defeats.

Mikel Arteta’s men have lost two of their last three league games, so the Gunners’ motivation to respond to Monday’s 3-0 loss at Crystal Palace will fuel their performance at the Emirates Stadium.

It has been a tough week for Mendy who has let in seven goals altogether in Chelsea’s defeats by Brentford and Real Madrid.

It remains to be seen if Thomas Tuchel retains Mendy for the Blues’ trip to Southampton or take the Senegal shot-stopper out of the firing line owing to the goalie’s recent mistakes.

With the West London side’s top-four place seemingly under threat with an in-form Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal only five points adrift, the reigning European and world champions cannot afford a slip-up on the south coast.

Despite Liverpool’s growth in recent seasons under Jurgen Klopp, three points at the Etihad Stadium has been a rarity.

Not even with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane have the Reds secured a win in the blue half of Manchester, where both have suffered 5-0 and 4-0 defeats in previous seasons.

Riyad Mahrez and his colleagues hold a sole point advantage over their rivals so they need to avoid a defeat against Sunday’s visitors.

As for the Reds, the desire to end their five-match winless league run at the Etihad and potentially overtake Pep Guardiola’s men in the standings will drive Klopp’s troops to put in a strong showing.

Napoli were the big winners last week, picking up a 3-1 win at Atalanta before seeing AC Milan drop two points at San Siro against Bologna.

Kalidou Koulibaly and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa ought to play when the Partenopei welcome Fiorentina to Naples looking put pressure on Milan who face a tricky game at Torino on Sunday night.

While La Viola’s four-game run without a loss looks good on paper, five points from a possible 15 on their travels mean the visitors face a daunting task at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

AC Milan’s African midfield men played in Monday’s Bologna stalemate, with Franck Kessie replacing the Algeria international with 20 minutes to play.

With Napoli now breathing down their neck, the Rossoneri need a result at Torino as they seek a 12th away victory of the season.

Stefano Pioli’s team have claimed 13 points from a possible 15 on their travels and last season’s 7-0 success in Turin gives them the psychological edge over the Bull.