In a dazzling display against Newcastle United last night, Mohamed Salah showcased his prowess as he missed a first-half penalty, only to bounce back with a second half brace.

Additionally, he played a crucial role in Cody Gakpo’s goal, propelling Liverpool to the top of the Premier League with 45 points in 20 games. Reflecting on his performance, Salah, speaking to Sky Sports, expressed determination to improve, a scary thought for a player so good.

Looking forward to AFCON, Salah voiced his ambition for continental glory, stating, “I want to win this competition, I would love to win it.” He emphasized the significance of representing the national team, saying, “Every time I step on the field with the national team jersey, it is something I cannot take for granted.”

Despite his departure, Salah exuded confidence in Liverpool’s squad, stating, “I am sure the players will manage to win games. We have fantastic players, really good quality, they just need to keep the pressure away and play their football.”

Salah’s outstanding performance further solidifies his exceptional season. He now departs for AFCON with the joint most goals (14) in the Premier League and the joint most assists (8) provided this season.

As Salah heads to the international stage, Liverpool sit comfortably atop the league, filled with optimism for the remainder of the season. If the Egyptian can translate his sizzling form onto the continental stage then the Pharaohs could go all the way.

The seven times champions of Africa of course suffered heartbreak in the last edition of the tournament when a Sadio Mané inspired Senegal pipped them on penalties in the final.

For all of Salah’s brilliance, he is still haunted by a failure to win with his country. He suffered yet more final heartache in 2017 when the Pharaohs again lost in the final, this time going down to an 88th minute Vincent Aboubakar winner for Cameroon.

Egypt hold the record for most AFCON titles but their last triumph was back in 2010. Coach Rui Vitoria will be pinning his hopes and that of the entire nation on Salah when the tournament kicks off in Côte D’Ivoire on January 13th.