Sadio Mane's year keeps getting better, the Liverpool forward scoring twice as the Reds defeated Manchester City in the FA Cup semifinals to keep alive their hopes of a quadruple.
How Mohamed Salah would love a slice of his luck in front of goal right, as the Egypt forward endures an uncharacteristically barren spell, while Mane's international teammate Edouard Mendy made one outstanding save as Chelsea booked their place against Liverpool in the FA Cup final.
No African star has dazzled in this calendar year quite like Mane, who netted the decisive goal in the Africa Cup of Nations final as Senegal won their first continental crown and then helped the Teranga Lions qualify for their second consecutive World Cup.
At club level, he has already bettered his Premier League goal tally from last season and he was was the star performer as the Reds reached the first FA Cup final of Jurgen Klopp's tenure with a 3-2 victory over Manchester City at Wembley on Saturday.
Only a week after scoring against City in the league, Mane doubled the Merseysiders' lead by capitalising on a gross error by stand-in keeper Zack Steffen to finish from close range in the 17th minute after Ibrahima Konate had headed the 2020 league champions into the lead.
Mane added his second, and appeared to have killed off the tie, before the break, when he picked up a sensational long-range pass from Thiago Alcantara -- the only player who could complete with the Senegal forward for the Man of the Match prize -- to volley home at the near post.
Steffen, again, should have done better, but the goal was a fitting and deserved reward for Mane's performance that characterised his persistence, guile and intensity, which, despite passing 30, show no sign of dimming.
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Mane had been effective on the left flank in the 2-2 league draw between the side last week -- when he latched onto a threaded through-ball from Salah to secure a draw -- but here, positioned through the middle, he represented an even more fearsome prospect for Nathan Ake and John Stones.
The ageing Fernandinho, whose days at City are numbered, found it particularly difficult to deal with the West African when he dropped into the pockets, and the Brazilian was arguably fortunate to have survived with only a yellow card after a nasty foul on Mane.
"I've known Sadio nearly six years, as far as I have known him he's never needed competition to be the best version of himself," Klopp said after the match. "I'm not sure bringing in Luis Diaz affected that part of his game, but playing [through the] centre suits Sadio very well as well.
"Sadio had some physical struggles since he came back [from the Africa Cup of Nations]. He couldn't use his immense physicality every few days.
"Before the game against City, I thought Sadio [looked like himself] physically and that's why he was able to play the game he played."
City staged a second-half comeback, with Bernardo Silva setting up a nervous final few seconds with a stoppage-time effort, but Liverpool held on to dump their fierce rivals out of club football's oldest competition.
Mane, already a Champions League and Premier League winner with Liverpool, appears to have the bit between his teeth as he looks to inspire the Reds to a glorious end of season. One suspects that individual honours -- and a new contract -- may be in the offing over the coming months.
By contrast, Salah, so relentless and so lethal during the latter part of 2021, is struggling to revive his flagging 2022 as Liverpool arrive at the business end of the season.
Salah's goal drought continued against City, and the Egyptian forced a save from Steffen with only one of his three attempts. He may have completed two successful take-ons and remained disciplined throughout, but he failed to register a single goal-scoring opportunity for his colleagues, and he was eclipsed for cutting edge, tenacity and desire by Mane and new arrival Diaz.
The forward appeared jaded and out of sorts, as he has done on occasion since Egypt's double failure in the Africa Cup of Nations Cup final and the World Cup playoff, and he's now gone six games without a goal -- his only goal involvement during that period being the assist for Mane last weekend -- and has only bagged one in his past 12 matches including both of Egypt's World Cup playoffs.
It's an uncharacteristic spell for the forward who had a hand in 31 goals in his first 23 Liverpool outings of the season, although Klopp has been keen to downplay Salah's diminishing impact.
"We've spoken before about all the physical demands he has faced in the last few months so it's completely normal," Klopp said. "He played a really, really good football game [against City] so it's only a question of time when he will score as well.
"He's been unlucky in these moments and, you know, if you don't have luck as a striker you don't even try; but he's been close enough a couple of times and the moment will definitely come.
"I'm really happy with the form he showed at Wembley."
Salah will hope to return among the goals on Tuesday when Liverpool return to Premier League action against Manchester United -- against whom the 29-year-old bagged a hat-trick earlier this season.
"I see him more often in training than in games and we play every three days so it's more you have to have a look at it and make a decision if there's a need for a talk or not," Klopp said.
"We have had plenty of talks over our time together but in this moment there's no need for it."
Salah's run may be 'normal' according to Klopp, but the coach will surely be desperate for the forward to rediscover his 2021 form as the Reds remain in the hunt for four trophies.
Liverpool will face Chelsea in the FA Cup final -- a replay of the 2012 showpiece -- after the Blues defeated Crystal Palace in Sunday's semi.
Edouard Mendy and Hakim Ziyech both featured for Chelsea, the latter from the bench, while Wilfried Zaha, Eberchi Eze and Michael Olise were the headline African stars involved for Palace.
Zaha was well marshalled by Chelsea's backline and struggled to impose himself, while Mendy delivered a masterclass in another high-profile fixture.
Mendy made a magnificent block to deny compatriot Cheikhou Kouyate inside the first 10 minutes, as he continues on the road to redemption after costly errors against Brentford and Real Madrid.
In the Premier League, Yves Bissouma produced a commanding display in the heart of the midfield as Brighton & Hove Albion secured another excellent victory in North London, defeating Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 afyer their triumph against Arsenal the previous weekend.
For Burnley's Maxwel Cornet, however, an impressive maiden season in English football is in danger of melting in regret at the death.
The wideman produced a horror miss against Norwich City in midweek and he was again guilty of failing to take a big opportunity against West Ham United, when he won a penalty only to send his left-footed spotkick well wide.
The 1-1 draw leaves Burnley three points from safety with seven games to play, although the Clarets have moved three points ahead of Watford, for whom Emmanuel Dennis netted his 10th goal of the season in a 2-1 defeat by Brentford.
On Monday, ex-Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and rumoured Gunners transfer target Victor Osimhen both drew a blank as Barcelona and Napoli were defeated by Cadiz and held by AS Roma respectively.
While Osimhen awaits his 13th league goal of the season, Taiwo Awoniyi took his tally for the campaign to 13 Bundesliga goals when he netted Union Berlin's first goal in their 2-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt.