Liverpool’s Salah, Mane, Keita among CAF award nominees

Senegalese Mane has been in outstanding form for Liverpool this season while Guinean Keita adapts to English football after a mid-year move from German Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig.

Liverpool trio Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita are among 34 nominees named Friday for the 2018 African Player of the Year award.

Liverpool's Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah controls the ball prior to the UEFA Champions League Group C football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Liverpool FC at the Parc des Princes stadium (AFP)

Egyptian Salah won the award last year after scoring 44 goals in all competitions during his first season at Anfield.

Senegalese Mane has been in outstanding form for Liverpool this season while Guinean Keita adapts to English football after a mid-year move from German Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig.

A couple of previous African Player of the Year winners, Algerian Riyad Mahrez of Manchester City and Gabonese Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal, are other contenders.

Nigerian Alex Iwobi, Senegalese Idrissa Gueye and Ivorian Wilfried Zaha complete the list of nominees who play in the Premier League.

History-making French coaches Nicolas Dupuis and Corentin Martins are among 10 nominations for the best coach award.

Dupuis has qualified Madagaascar for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time and Martins achieved a similar feat with Mauritania.

Madagascar and Mauritania are contenders for the national team award with Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Award winners will be announced on January 8 at a ceremony in Dakar.