Bryan Mbeumo is proving to be irrepressible in the English Premier League this season, and the Cameroon international registered his sixth goal in seven matches as he scored a penalty in Brentford's 5-3 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Mbeumo might be the outstanding African player in the top flight this season, but the continent's stars in the EPL are being eclipsed by those in the German Bundesliga, with Victor Boniface and Omar Marmoush again proving the difference-makers for Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt respectively. Could we be witnessing a shift whereby Africa's top players are increasingly to be found in the Bundesliga rather than the Premier League?
With Ivan Toney departed and with Yoane Wissa injured, it was imperative that Brentford manager Thomas Frank ensured the Bees retained a goal threat to steer themselves away from a relegation battle. In Mbeumo, he has a versatile, intelligent, in-form attacking threat who is on course to hit double figures this term.
Brentford's record-breaking run of scoring in the first minute of three consecutive Premier League fixtures stole the attention in recent weeks, but Mbeumo's goal-scoring form went somewhat under the radar.
Against Wolves, Mbeumo capitalised after a thoughtless moment from the visitors' Gabonese captain, Mario Lemina, who bundled Nathan Collins to the ground inside the box; the Cameroon forward duly rolled home calmly from the spot for his third goal in as many matches, and now only Erling Haaland features above him in the league's scoring charts. Mbeumo also created three clear chances, and was influential in forging the opportunity for Vitaly Janelt to set up Christian Nørgaard to score the Bees' third. He was also the most fouled player in the game, as the Wolves defenders struggled to contain him.
"The fact we did that without Yoane Wissa and Igor Thiago -- our No. 9s or main goalscorers -- is even more impressive," Frank said after the match.
Mbeumo's goals have come from just 16 shots, with nine hitting the target.
For Wolves, amid a tricky start to the season, Algeria's Rayan Aït-Nouri continues to be a ray of light during a testing time for under-pressure coach Gary O'Neil: The defender set up Jorgen Strand Larsen for the Old Gold's first-half equaliser and bagged a 92nd-minute consolation goal himself; he now has three goals and three assists in all competitions this season, albeit he is also part of a backline that has shipped 21 goals in seven league matches -- comfortably the worst defensive record in the division.
Last week, this column focused on Marmoush's remarkable start to the Bundesliga campaign, with the Egypt attacker netting twice and registering two assists in a 4-2 victory against newly promoted Holstein Kiel.
He then netted midweek in Frankfurt's 3-1 UEFA Europa League victory at Besiktas before the small matter of Sunday's Bundesliga visit of Bayern Munich.
Marmoush, increasingly, is proving himself to be a player for the big occasion, and he eclipsed Harry Kane -- his likeliest rival for the Golden Boot -- with a two-goal showing in which he also set up Hugo Ekitike to give Frankfrut a first-half lead.
Marmoush equalised for Eintracht after being played in by Ansgar Knauff, the German-Ghanaian anticipating the Egyptian's tearing run through the middle superbly with a perfectly weighted ball that the North African slammed home beyond Manuel Neuer.
Thirteen minutes later, Marmoush set up the hosts' second goal, outmuscling France international Dayot Upamecano before prodding a right-footed pass for Ekitike to finish.
Just over half-an-hour in, and we were already witnessing a full showcase of the range of Marmoush's talents -- finishing, creativity, pace, power, anticipation; the the 25-year-old is increasingly looking the complete package.
Into second-half stoppage-time, with Bayern leading 3-2, and Kane substituted, there was still time for a final flourish from the North African.
Breaking through the Bayern backline, Marmoush ran on to newly called-up Cameroon midfielder Junior Ebimbe's diving header forward, outpaced a trio of defenders, and held his nerve to send a thumping finish past Neuer. The goal prompted delirious celebrations from the home fans, with the Egyptian ripping off his shirt and racing past the hoardings to celebrate with the Eintracht faithful.
"His improvement here in Frankfurt is really impressive," Eintracht head coach Dino Toppmoller said of Marmoush. "Omar is a very good guy, an emotional guy, and he needs to feel the love of everyone; of the coaching staff, the players, the fans. It's very important. It's amazing what he's doing on the field."
Marmoush now has eight goals in six Bundesliga outings, three clear of Ermedin Demirovic, Kane and Jonathan Burkhardt in the early Golden Boot standings.
For context, he scored 12 goals in the entirety of last term -- his career-best tally -- and he could feasibly equal that haul before October ends, while no Frankfurt player has ever scored eight goals by this stage of the season.
Marmoush has had a hand in 86% of Eintracht's Bundesliga goals this season (eight goals, four assists), and expect rumoured interest from heavyweight suitors -- Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have all been named as potentially interested parties -- to intensify in the months to come. Marmoush's late equaliser represented a helping hand for reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen, who are stuttering in their title defence.
Nigeria's Boniface opened the scoring for Leverkusen during the early exchanges at home against minnows Holstein Kiel, but Xabi Alonso's side had to accept a 2-2 draw despite racing into a 2-0 lead. The result could have been different had Boniface not had another goal ruled out for offside following a VAR review just before the half-hour mark.
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Lacking the consistency they demonstrated last term, Leverkusen sit fifth after six matches.
At least Boniface is rediscovering the form he demonstrated early in Leverkusen's title-winning campaign, which ultimately led him being named Bundesliga Rookie of the Year.
He has scored four goals in his six league outings, and also netted the midweek UEFA Champions League winner over AC Milan.
All eyes will be on the BayArena when the Bundesliga returns after the international break, with Boniface's Leverkusen and Marmoush's Eintracht set to collide in the standout fixture of gameweek seven on October 19. It could be an opportunity for the pair to demonstrate why the Bundesliga -- rather than the Premier League -- is where the continent's most exhilarating players can be found this season.