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African players in Europe: Salah double moves Liverpool closer to title

David Blunsden via www.imago-images.de

Egypt forward Mohamed Salah's double helped Liverpool equal Manchester City's record of 20 consecutive Premier League wins and move Jurgen Klopp's side ever closer to the title.

Here is a look at some of the key performances from Africans playing in Europe:

MOHAMED SALAH (Liverpool)

The Egypt forward scored twice in Saturday's 4-0 win over Southampton at Anfield as the runaway leaders took another step towards winning their first English title since 1990. With Jurgen Klopp's side leading through goals from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jordan Henderson, Salah struck in the 71st minute from Henderson's pass. He scored again from close-range in stoppage-time to make it 42 games unbeaten for Liverpool in the league. Liverpool have equalled Manchester City's record of 20 consecutive Premier League home wins and only Bill Shankly's Liverpool team in 1972 had a longer winning streak on home soil in English top-flight history.

PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAYEYANG (Arsenal)

The Gabon striker endured a rare off-day against Burnley as the Gunners were held to a 0-0 draw at Turf Moor. Aubameyang had seven goals in four previous games against Burnley, but he couldn't break the deadlock this time. In his first game back from suspension, he failed to beat Burnley keeper Nick Pope with a chip, then headed wide from Alexandre Lacazette's cross.

MBWANA SAMATTA (Aston Villa)

The Tanzania striker marked his Premier League debut with a goal but couldn't stop his team suffering a damaging 2-1 loss at fellow strugglers Bournemouth on Saturday. Having joined from Belgian club Genk in January, Samatta was making only his second appearance for Villa and he netted in the 70th minute after being named in the starting line-up. With Villa trailing 2-0, Samatta rose to head home from Keinan Davis's deflected shot, making the 27-year-old the first Tanzanian to score in the Premier League.

Nigeria's Kenneth Omeruo scored his first goal for Leganes on Sunday to help his team to a surprise 2-1 win at home to Real Sociedad in La Liga. Omeruo grabbed the equaliser with a guided finish into the bottom corner at Butarque, where he was making his 15th league appearance alongside compatriot Chidozie Awaziem in defence.

OPA NGUETTE/HABIB DIALLO (METZ)

Metz duo Opa Nguette and Habib Diallo combined to score their side's three goals in a 3-1 victory over Saint-Etienne on Sunday. Senegalese midfielder Nguette has now netted four times in Ligue 1 this term after grabbing a double, while his compatriot Diallo is fourth in the scoring charts with 12 goals.

MAMA BALDE (DIJON)

Bissau-Guinean international Mama Balde scored twice as Dijon claimed a crucial 3-0 win against fellow strugglers Brest on Saturday. The 24-year-old now has four goals in his last four league matches.

JEREMIE BOGA (Sassuolo)

Ivorian midfielder Boga's handball threw rivals Roma a lifeline with Jordan Veretout converting the penalty from the spot. But Boga immediately hit back to make amends, cutting inside to rifle in a superb fourth goal for a 4-2 win, his side's first ever in the top flight over the capital side. It was the 23-year-old former Chelsea player's sixth league goal this season for Sassuolo, twice his tally for the 2018-2019 campaign.

BOBBY ADEKANYE (Lazio)

Nigerian Bobby Adekanye came on after the break for just his third league appearance with the 20-year-old former Liverpool youngster tapping in his first Serie A goal to complete a 5-1 rout of rock bottom SPAL for third-placed Lazio.

Bote 'Ridle' Baku (Mainz)

The 21-year-old German-born midfielder - who is eligible for both Democratic Republic of the Congo and Germany at international level - had a golden chance in the second half to bring Mainz within one goal of the German champions but fired wide in Bayern's 3-1 win.

Achraf Hakimi (Borussia Dortmund)

The Real Madrid loanee had a quiet game in Dortmund's 5-0 win over Union Berlin, the Moroccan found out of position on more than one occasion - and was substituted in the 64th minute and cut an obviously frustrated figure on the sideline.

St. Mirren vs Hamilton Academical Prediction & Match Preview

St. Mirren vs Hamilton Academical
Scotland – Premiership
Date: Wednesday, 05 February 2020
Kick-off at 19:45 UK/ 20:45 CET
Venue: The Simple Digital Arena (Paisley).

Being on a losing streak will force Hamilton to yet another loss in the clash with St. Mirren at Paisley as the host are the favorites to win with their home ground advantage.

• St. Mirren form: 24 matches – 5 wins – 6 draws – 13 losses – 21 points.
• Hamilton form: 24 matches – 4 wins – 6 draws – 14 losses – 18 points.

Hamilton is likely to end as the bottom dweller of the table. Even though both teams are in the relegation batch, St. Mirren is in the 10th place of the league table.

St. Mirren vs Hamilton Academical Head-to-head (h2h)

• Hamilton has recorded three of the last five wins.
• The host is unbeaten in the past four overall fixtures.
• Four of the Accies’s recent five wins were as the host.
• Their previous encounter gave a 0-1 away win for the Buddies.

St. Mirren vs Hamilton Academical Prediction

It will be a hard call for the punters since both teams are in the relegation zone of the Premiership table. However, St. Mirren does have an upper hand in the game with their home ground advantage and league standings.

The Buddies had their previous encounter in the league with a top part team, Hibernian, on the road. Both teams scored two goals each in the clash. Even though they were on an away handicap, St. Mirren had managed to score a brace.

In the meantime, Hamilton is on a three-game losing streak in the league lately. Their prior clash in the league was against Celtic in which they were defeated with a 1-4 scoreline at home. With that defeat, the players’ morale will be down.

Besides, the Accies have not been doing well on the road too. They have won only one of their 11 away games in the campaign so far. Also, Hamilton has lost three of their last five away fixtures.

On the other hand, St. Mirren is in a mixed form at home. They have marked all possible outcomes four each in their home run in the league. Also, they have stayed unbeaten in the last two home matches.

Another reason that backs up St. Mirren is that four of their five overall wins in the league have come from their home matches. So, the Buddies are at their best when playing as the host. Since Hamilton has a poor away form in the league, the host does stand a chance to win in the clash.

As such, the punters can go with St. Mirren as the favorite to win all three points after the full time. Also, there will be a couple of goals in the match probably over 1.5 goals in ninety minutes.

St. Mirren vs Hamilton Academical Betting tips

• Full-time result: St. Mirren @ 1.80 (4/5).

• Over 1.5 goals @ 1.40 (2/5).

Ross County vs Livingston Prediction & Match Preview

Ross County vs Livingston
Scotland – Premiership
Date: Wednesday, 5 February 2020
Kick-off at 19:45 UK/ 20:45 CET
Venue: Victoria Park (Dingwall).

With their overall league performance, Livingston will be the favorites to win in the clash with Ross County despite being away from home at Victoria Park.

• Ross County form: 24 matches – 5 wins – 7 draws – 12 losses – 22 points.
• Livingston form: 24 matches – 9 wins – 7 draws – 8 losses – 34 points.

Ross County is at the ninth place and Livingston is at the fifth spot in the league table with a 12 point difference with the host.

Ross County vs Livingston Head-to-head (h2h)

• The host has recorded three of the last five wins in their clashes.
• Lions have registered six of their recent ten wins during their visits.
• Both teams have scored goals in four of the prior five fixtures at this venue.
• Their previous encounter awarded a 4-0 home win for Livingston.

Ross County vs Livingston Prediction

It has been a disaster for Ross County in their form as their past eight fixtures across all major competitions have been winless in the end. Their most recent encounter was on the road with Kilmarnock. The Staggies had to settle with just a consolation goal in the 3-1 defeat.

With just one loss in their prior ten fixtures in major contests, Livingston has been on a fine form in the new year. They are on a four-game winning streak in the overall league matches. Their previous encounter was with Motherwell at home in which the Lions won with a 1-0 scoreline.

Besides, Ross County has registered only four home wins in the league this season in 11 attempts at home. Also, they are winless in the recent two home games in the campaign. Hence, the Staggies will not have much use of the home ground advantage in the clash.

On the other hand, Livingston has lost only two of their last five league away games. Also, they have lost half of their 12 away fixtures in the campaign. But the Lions have shown improvements in their form lately.

Considering these facts, it is probable that Livingston is more likely to create chances of winning in the encounter. So, the punters can go with a draw no bet over Livingston as they are away from home, just to be safe.

In their most recent h2h clash held here, we saw the Lions winning it by 1-4 scoreline. From this, we can expect both teams to score at least a goal each in ninety minutes.

Ross County vs Livingston Betting tips

• Draw no bet: Livingston @ 1.44 (4/9).

• Both teams to score @ 1.80 (4/5).

Rangers vs Hibernian Prediction & Match Preview

Rangers vs Hibernian
Scotland – Premiership
Date: Wednesday, 5 February 2020
Kick-off at 19:45 UK/ 20:45 CET
Venue: Ibrox Stadium (Glasgow).

With each game passing, Rangers are moving away from the title hunt. So, we can expect Rangers to take all three points in the clash with Hibernian as they are the favorites at Ibrox Stadium.

• Rangers form: 23 matches – 18 wins – 3 draws – 2 losses – 57 points.
• Hibernian form: 24 matches – 7 wins – 9 draws – 8 losses – 30 points.

Rangers are in the race for the title at the second spot while Hibernian is in the sixth place of the league table with 27 points behind the host.

Rangers vs Hibernian Head-to-head (h2h)

• Four of their last seven fixtures have ended in a draw.
• The host has won four of the last five overall wins.
• The Gers are unbeaten at home in their recent three matches.
• Their previous encounter awarded a 0-3 away win for Rangers.

Rangers vs Hibernian Prediction

In their previous encounter, Rangers faced Aberdeen at home which ended in a goalless draw. It was their second winless game within the last five league fixtures. It has reduced their chances of lifting the Premiership title this season.

With Defoe’s injury, the Rangers have had trouble finding the back of the net. It’s another worrying injury for Gerrard with James Tavernier, Ryan Jack and Greg Stewart all struggling with injuries.

However, Florian Kamberi is likely to appear against his former team after the transfer. The home team fans can hope if Kamberi can make any difference in the match.

However, the host has gone through hard times before and has made a comeback. Since it is their third consecutive home match in their schedule, we can hope for the Gers to perform well. Also, they have lost only one of their 11 home matches so far in the campaign.

Hibernian will be visiting after a 2-2 draw with St. Mirren at home. They have marked only four wins in their past ten overall matches across major contests. Also, they have not beaten Rangers in the previous seven h2h clashes.

Hence, the punters can go with Rangers as the favorites to win the game. Significantly, two of the three h2h meetings with the Hibs have seen Rangers winning in both halves of the matches.

As such, there is a probability that the same trend might be repeated in the upcoming match as the host is in dire need of those three points. The Gers have scored 57 goals in their 23 matches. Meanwhile, the Hibs have secured 33 goals in 23 appearances. Henceforth, we can expect the total score to go over 2.5 goals in ninety minutes.

Rangers vs Hibernian Betting tips

• Half-time/Full-time: Rangers-Rangers @ 1.66 (4/6).

• Over 2.5 goals @ 1.50 (1/2).

Motherwell vs Celtic Prediction & Match Preview

Motherwell vs Celtic
Scotland – Premiership
Date: Wednesday, 05 February 2020
Kick-off at 19:45 UK/ 20:45 CET
Venue: Fir Park.

Despite having the home ground advantage, Motherwell will have less chance when facing the reigning champions, Celtic in the clash at Fir Park.

• Motherwell form: 24 matches – 13 wins – 2 draws – 9 losses – 41 points.
• Celtic form: 24 matches – 21 wins – 1 draw – 2 losses – 64 points.

Motherwell has placed themselves at the thirst spot and Celtic is at the top of the table this season too with a 23 points difference with the host.

Motherwell vs Celtic Head-to-head (h2h)

• Celts are unbeaten in their past 16 overall matches since 2016.
• The guest has recorded three of the last ten wins during their visits.
• The Well previously tasted success at home in the 2013 clash.
• Their previous clash awarded a 2-5 away win for the Hoops.

Motherwell vs Celtic Prediction

Motherwell will be hosting after a defeat on the road in their previous match. They lost to the likes of Livingston with a 1-0 score on the board. It was their third winless game within the last five league fixtures overall.

Celtic has won in all but one clash in their past sixteen matches in the campaign this season. With such a profound form, they are one of the invincible teams in the Premiership. The Hoops had their previous encounter on the road against Hamilton. It ended in favor of the Celts with a 1-4 scoreline.

From this, we can say that the host does not have much chance in the clash. Despite their home ground advantage, the Well has been winless in their last three home matches. Also, Stephen Robinson and his team have won only six of their 12 home fixtures in the campaign.

On the other hand, Celtic is on a six-game winning streak in their away games. Also, the visitor is the best away team in the campaign with just one loss in the 12 away fixtures until now. They previously lost in the league away from home in October 2019 against Livingston.

With their overall league dominance and strong away streak, Celtic will be the best option to be the favorites to win in the league. Since Rangers have lost to Hearts in an earlier match, it has given an advantage for the Hoops in the run for the Premiership title. So we can expect Neil Lennon’s boys to give all in for the win.

Hence, the punters can have a safe bet on the full-time result over Celtic. Also, with Odsonne Edouard in scoring form along with others, we can probably expect Celtic to score over 1.5 goals in the game.

Motherwell vs Celtic Betting tips

• Celtic to win @ 1.40 (2/5).

• Over 1.5 team goals by Celtic @ 1.50 (1/2).

Hearts vs Kilmarnock Prediction & Match Preview

Hearts vs Kilmarnock
Scotland – Premiership
Date: Wednesday, 5 February 2020
Kick-off at 19:45 UK/ 20:45 CET
Venue: Tynecastle Stadium (Edinburgh).

After a surprising turn of events in the Premiership, Hearts will be coming in hot to face Kilmarnock as the favorites in the clash at Edinburgh.

• Hearts form: 24 matches – 3 wins – 9 draws – 12 losses – 18 points.
• Kilmarnock form: 24 matches – 7 wins – 5 draws – 12 losses – 26 points.

Both teams are in the relegation batch with Hearts at the bottom in the 11th place and Kilmarnock in the 7th position in the table.

Hearts vs Kilmarnock Head-to-head (h2h)

• Killie has recorded four of the last five overall wins.
• The host previously tasted a victory at home in 2016.
• Hearts are winless at home in their prior five fixtures.
• Their previous encounter awarded a 3-0 home win for Kilmarnock.

Hearts vs Kilmarnock Prediction

If we take a look at their h2h history, Kilmarnock is in favor of winning the clash despite their away handicap. But considering their current form and the counter-pressing playing style under Daniel Stendel showing changes, Hearts will have a slight edge over the visitors along with their home ground advantage.

Hearts are unbeaten in their last five overall fixtures with their latest match ending in a draw. The host was on the road in their previous clash with St. Johnstone which ended in a 3-3 draw. They scored the equalizer in the injury time after the second half of the match.

Kilmarnock has marked three losses in their past five overall clashes in major contests. Their previous encounter with Ross County gave them all three points with a 3-1 score on the board. It was their lone win in the last ten Premiership matches.

From their recent performances, we can see that the Killies have taken a dip in form. Also, Hearts have finally learned to play under Stendel despite his opening games in December failed to find any points.

Besides, the host has stayed unbeaten in their past two home matches. Significantly, they defeated the toppers, Rangers in their prior home match. So, the players will be playing more confidently in the clash with Kilmarnock having the away handicap.

Kilmarnock has lost nine of their 12 away games so far in the campaign. Also, Alex Dyer and boys are on a five-game losing streak in their away fixtures in the league. So, based on their poor away form, the Killies will not have their hopes high in the match.

Hence, Hearts can be counted on to create more chances of winning in the game. Also, we can expect the total score to probably over 1.5 goals in ninety minutes.

Hearts vs Kilmarnock Betting tips

• Full-time result: Hearts @ 2.00 (1/1).

• Over 1.5 goals @ 1.40 (2/5).

• Alternate bet: Draw no bet: Hearts @ 1.44 (4/9).