Riyad Mahrez is close to becoming the sixth African player to be involved in 100 Premier League goals.
The Manchester City winger moved onto 99 when he notched a goal and an assist in the 5-2 defeat by Leicester.
Mahrez has started every Premier League game he has been available for after missing the opening fixture at Wolves, and after being given a breather against Marseille with a place on the bench he could return to the starting line-up against Sheffield United on Saturday lunchtime.
City have struggled for goals in recent league games, the top scorers of the last two years scoring just one in each of their last three matches. Pep Guardiola did acknowledge the role of switching his wingers as they beat Marseille 3-0 in midweek, but also pointed to how Mahrez created the third from his familiar position on the right.
City have been beset by injury worries this season, with the manager regularly pointing to the late finish of the last campaign and lack of proper preparations when asked to explain inconsistent results or performances.
Mahrez, however, is not worried about a setback and knows he has to be in the right condition for whenever he gets the call from Guardiola.
“Obviously, it has not been ideal,” Mahrez said this week. “The start to the season was not normal. We have to adapt. We are professionals. It is like this for everyone.
“We are built to play every three days anyway. Everyone knows we are here to play when the manager plays us, we have to be ready - tired or not tired.”
African players to have been directly involved in 100 Premier League goals
Didier Drogba, Yakubu, Emmanuel Adebayor, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah
