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| John Powell/Liverpool via Getty Images |
Achraf Hakimi and Mohamed Salah signed off from domestic duties ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in some style this week, but Nigeria lynchpin Wilfred Ndidi was forced to withdraw from the Super Eagles squad through injury.
Premier League fans who stayed in to watch the action across gameweek 20 were treated to a series of festive thrillers, with an average of 3.5 goals per game, and no shortage of outstanding individual displays.
Few came close to rivalling Salah, however, who signed off for AFCON duties with a double on New Year's Day, as Liverpool saw off Newcastle United 4-2 to consolidate their grip on top spot.
Despite his mesmerising performance, it was a testing first half for the Egyptian King, who opted to change his boots at the break having seen an early penalty - and follow-up -- saved by the outstanding Martin Dúbravka.
For long spells, it appeared as though the Slovakia stopper would be up to anything Salah hurled at him, but the 31-year-old wasn't about to let his head drop after being denied from the spot. He promptly opened the scoring in the 49th minute when he finished from close range after being played in - unselfishly - by Darwin Núñez.
Salah's interplay with Diogo Jota forged the opportunity for Curtis Jones, magnificent in and out of possession, to add another for the Reds, before Cody Gakpo met a delicious cross from the Egyptian to add a third.
By now Newcastle, fading and short on resources, were reeling, while Salah was at his majestic and inventive best, those new boots leaving visiting defenders flailing in his wake.
His second came from the spot - making up for that first-half misstep - after Jota had been brought down (just) by Dubravka, for whom an auspicious outing was fast turning into a performance to forget.
"Nobody should be really surprised that Mo can change a game or can improve in a game, because he's done it hundreds of times," Jurgen Klopp told journalists. "The more goals you have the more you are used to missing chances and understanding what you have to do to keep going and improving and that was what Mo did."
Despite having achieved so much with the Pharaohs - notably inspiring them to the 2018 World Cup - the AFCON remains an elusive addition to Salah's trophy cabinet, but how a Nations Cup-Premier League double would represent one of the crowning achievements of his already glittering career.
In contrast to their North African counterparts, Nigeria are in less than stellar shape as they approach the AFCON, with the Super Eagles learning on Wednesday that they would be without key midfielder Ndidi for the tournament.
The 27-year-old was forced out of the squad after picking up an injury during Leicester City's 2-0 victory over Cardiff City on Friday, having been withdrawn - in some discomfort - in the 69th minute of that contest. Ndidi, who made five appearances for Nigeria through 2023, had been primed to feature in his third consecutive AFCON but must now watch from afar.
While he misses out, the door opens for Royal Antwerp midfielder Alhassan Yusuf, a Belgian champion last season, who has tasted Champions League football for the first time this term.
The 23-year-old is a competent operator in the heart of the park, although Jose Peseiro's unwillingness to give the ex-Goteborg man a maiden cap to date may end up costing the Eagles at a critical time.
Peseiro also faces an anxious wait on the fitness of Kelechi Iheanacho, who has joined up with the squad despite missing Leicester's last two fixtures with injury.
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| Nigeria and Leicester City's Wilfred Ndidi was ruled out of AFCON after picking up an injury against Cardiff. Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images |
Morocco's Hakimi picked up the first silverware of the season on Wednesday, as Paris Saint-Germain set the tone for 2024 by defeating Toulouse in the Trophee des Champions - the French Super Cup - at the Parc des Princes.
Goals from Lee Kang-in and Kylian Mbappé gave PSG first-half control, but the hosts had Gianluigi Donnarumma to thank for keeping Le TeFeCe at bay and ensuring a relatively serene conclusion to the contest.
Hakimi also had a fine opportunity to extend the reigning champions' advantage just before the hour mark, but his vicious freekick slammed against the post, denying the fullback a first goal since early October.
While the Moroccan's defensive partners were troubled by a plucky Toulouse side, Hakimi was one of the capital club's star performers with a scintillating display as he sought to dominate the right channel and create attacking openings.
The 25-year-old looked particularly sharp as he tore forward with joyful abandon, interacting superbly with Ousmane Dembélé and enjoying an electric synergy with Mbappe - one of the hallmarks of this PSG side on a 'good day' - to give the Toulouse left side a tough evening.
Defensively, Hakimi made big contributions to thwart TeFeCe attacks in both halves, receiving an overwhelming ovation from the home supporters when - showing little sign of fatigue - he charged back towards goal to stymie an opposition attack.
Perhaps his crossing was a little wayward at times, with two centres in particular failing to meet their intended recipient, although this would be a minor gripe with a display in which Hakimi left little doubt that he's 100-percent ready to make an impact in West Africa.
In participating for PSG on Tuesday, the defender missed Morocco's first pre-AFCON training session, with the French giants having reached an agreement with the Royal Moroccan Football Federation to allow the fullback to arrive late to camp.
He'll join the team in Rabat on Thursday, ahead of Sunday's warm-up showdown with The Gambia, before attempting to ensure the Atlas Lions build on 2022's World Cup heroics with a first continental crown since 1976.
- Ed Dove, Special to ESPN
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