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Salah becomes top African scorer in Premier League history
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Matthew Storey
LiveScore
Mohamed Salah is one of the Premier League's standout African stars
Mohamed Salah is one of the Premier League's standout African stars

The continent of Africa has provided plenty of top players to the Premier League over the past 29 years.

Hard-nosed defenders, all-action midfielders and red-hot strikers have come from Egypt, Nigeria, Cameroon and more.

But which African has scored the most times? LiveScore run you through the top five goalscorers.

5. Yakubu (95 goals — Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Everton, Blackburn)

Between 2003 and 2012, Yakubu was one of the Premier League’s most reliable marksmen.

Starting out at Portsmouth, ‘Feed the Yak and he will score’ was a popular chant wherever he went.

Following two years at Fratton Park, the Nigerian represented Middlesbrough, Everton and Blackburn in the top flight.

And his final season was his most prolific as he netted 17 times in 30 appearances for Blackburn in 2011-12.

4. Emmanuel Adebayor (97 goals — Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham, Crystal Palace)

Emmanuel Adebayor's infamous celebration in front of Arsenal fans will live long in the memory
Emmanuel Adebayor's infamous celebration in front of Arsenal fans will live long in the memory

Despite netting nearly 100 goals in the top flight, Emmanuel Adebayor is perhaps best known for one of the most controversial celebrations of the past 20 years.

Shortly after moving from Arsenal to Manchester City, Adebayor netted against his former club and sprinted the full length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the away fans.

As well as that moment, the Togolese striker will be remembered for bringing exceptional skill and finishing to the top flight.

His three years at the Emirates were his best spell as he scored 46 goals in 104 games, winning the African Footballer of the Year award in 2008.

3. Sadio Mane (101 goals — Southampton and Liverpool)

Sadio Mane is hot on the heels of team-mate Mohamed Salah
Sadio Mane is hot on the heels of team-mate Mohamed Salah

Liverpool forward Sadio Mane continues to rise up this list, reaching the 100-strike milestone in a 5-0 win at Watford in October.

In 67 games for Southampton, he scored 21 times — but it was his move to Anfield that saw Mane mark himself as one of the African greats.

The Senegalese international netted 22 times when Liverpool finished second to Manchester City in 2018-19, before notching 18 as the Reds ended their 30-year wait for a title a year later.

Still only 29, Mane will want to end his time in the Premier League at the top of the list.

2. Didier Drogba (104 goals — Chelsea)

Second on the list, for now at least, is Chelsea hero Didier Drogba.

Drogba ended two seasons with the Golden Boot as he won the top flight three times in his first eight-year spell at Stamford Bridge.

The Ivory Coast international then returned for a one-season second spell as a Blue, scoring a further four times and securing a fourth title.

A powerful striker who gave defenders a nightmare, Drogba had the tendency to produce a spectacular strike as well as sniffing out chances in the box.

1. Mohamed Salah (107 goals — Chelsea and Liverpool)

Few would have thought Mohamed Salah would end up top of this list when Chelsea sold him to Roma in 2015 after two goals in 13 league appearances.

But ever since Salah, 29, swapped Rome for Liverpool in 2017, he has shown his prowess as a creative spark and prolific finisher.

The Egyptian has ended up as the league’s top goalscorer twice and the 32 he managed in his first season at Anfield is the most goals any player has scored in a 38-game Premier League campaign.

The two-time African Footballer of the Year surpassed Drogba's tally with a magnificent hat-trick in Liverpool's 5-0 victory at Manchester United.

Tags

Premier LeagueChelseaLiverpoolSouthamptonManchester CityTottenham HotspurArsenalCrystal PalacePortsmouthEvertonBlackburnMiddlesbroughMohamed SalahSadio ManeDidier DrogbaAiyegbeni YakubuEmmanuel Adebayor
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