Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Riyad Mahrez adjust sights to Africa World Cup qualifying

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool celebrates after scoring his side's second goal 2-2 Premier League draw against Manchester City at Anfield on October 3, 2021. Getty Images

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool scores his side's second goal. Getty Images

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool speaks with teammates James Milner and Jordan Henderson. Getty Images

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah challenges Manchester City's Rodrigo. AFP

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring. Reuters

Liverpool's Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah heads the ball during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield in Liverpool, northwest England, on October 3, 2021. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /

Manchester City's Aymeric Laporte challenges Liverpool's Mohamed Salah. AFP

Liverpool's Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah runs for the ball during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield in Liverpool, northwest England, on October 3, 2021. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool scores to make it 2-1 against Manchester City. EPA

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk warm up before the match. AFP

Mohamed Salah switches his attention to 2022 World Cup qualifying this week as Egypt hope to get their campaign back on track.

Fresh from scoring a brilliant goal for Liverpool against Manchester City on Sunday, Salah spearheads the record seven-time African champions when they face surprise Group F leaders Libya home and away.

The Pharaohs need at least four points to take over first place ahead of the final two rounds in November.

Only the 10 group winners advance to the final qualifying round and Egypt and fellow first seeds Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco and the Democratic Republic of Congo have some catching-up to do.

Group A

African champions Algeria, who boast a talented forward line including Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez, have an impressive home record against Niger in World Cup qualifying, scoring 10 unanswered goals in two matches.

Algeria are riding an African record 29-match unbeaten run, but second-place Burkina Faso can keep pace by defeating Djibouti.

Algeria's captain Riyad Mahrez, centre, holds up the Africa Cup of Nations trophy after Algeria defeated Senegal 1-0 in the final in Cairo on Friday, July 19, 2019. AP

Yacine Brahimi, Youcef Belaili, Baghdad Bounedjah and Sofiane Feghouli celebrate Algeria's win. AFP

Adam Ounas, Ismail Bennacer, Adlene Guedioura and Andy Delort are jubilant after Algeria's historic success. AFP

Algeria's players throw their manager Djamel Belmadi in celebration. AP

Algeria's midfielder Sofiane Feghouli reflects on his side's achievement. AFP

Algeria's players celebrate at the final whistle. AFP

Senegal's wait to win the Africa Cup of Nations goes on. EPA

Algeria's players acknowledge their fans in Cairo. EPA

Algeria celebrate their first Afcon title since 1990.

Ismail Bennacer celebrates with the trophy. AFP

It proved to be a night of celebration for Algeria in Cairo. AFP

Algeria's manager Djamel Belmadi, centre, celebrates with his players at the final whistle. AP

Fifa president Gianni Infantino, greets Algeria's Riyad Mahrez, after the African Cup of Nations final. AP

Algeria's Riyad Mahrez kisses the Africa Cup of Nations trophy. AP

Senegal's manager Aliou Cisse consoles Liverpool's Sadio Mane. AP

Senegal's Sadio Mane, right, gestures in frustration. AP

Algeria's Baghdad Bounedjah, left, celebrates with his teammates after scoring the opening goal. AP

Algeria's Baghdad Bounedjah, centre, celebrates opening the scoring in the second minute. AP

Hicham Boudaoui, Ramy Bensebaini and goalkeeper Azzedine Doukha celebrate Algeria's success. AFP

Group B

Table-toppers Tunisia are yet to lost in four previous World Cup qualifiers against Mauritania, and there is nothing to suggest they will not extend that perfect record in Rades.

A Tunisian side captained by Saint-Etienne's Wahbi Khazri head into the match boosted by two impressive victories while the Mauritanians have disappointed when losing twice.

Group C

Central African Republic face leaders Nigeria without star player - Atletico Madrid midfielder Godfrey Kondogbia.

After a routine home win over Liberia last month, a severely weakened Super Eagles side triumphed away to Cape Verde and they will be back to near full strength for the match in Lagos.

Group D

Considered the toughest section to win as rivals Cameroon and the Ivory Coast have qualified for the World Cup 10 times between them.

The Ivorians hold a one-point lead thanks to a 2-1 home win over the Cameroonians, but the poor state of the pitch at the recently opened national stadium in Abidjan means they must host Malawi in Benin.

Group E

Mali have made a good start in the only section that does not contain a previous World Cup qualifier, building a two-point advantage over Kenya and Uganda with Rwanda last.

A Malian squad including Southampton midfielder Moussa Djenepo are handicapped by having to play home matches in Morocco due to the poor state of their stadiums, but they are favoured to beat Kenya.

Group F

Libya stole a march on Egypt by snatching a late home victory over Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's Gabon and then winning in Angola.

After shading Angola, Egypt were lucky to hold Gabon and the draw cost coach Hossam el Badry his job with former Real Madrid manager and Manchester United assistant manager Carlos Queiroz taking over.

1. Mohamed Salah's first goal of the season came in Liverpool's first game of the season, a 3-0 victory at newly promoted Norwich City on August 14. Reuters

2. Salah's second goal came on August 28, in Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Chelsea. Reuters

3. No 3 of the season was at Leeds United, where Liverpool won 3-0. EPA

4. Another for Salah in the Premier League in the 3-0 win against Crystal Palace on September 18. AFP

5. A thrilling 3-3 draw at Brentford on September 25 saw Salah claim another goal. AFP

6. A goal that will be talked about for years to come: Salah scores a wonderful strike in the 2-2 draw with Manchester City on October 3. EPA

7. The international break did nothing to slow Salah's form, as he danced around Watford's bewildered defence to score in the 5-0 win at Vicarage Road. Reuters

8. Salah scores the third against Manchester United in Liverpool's 5-0 Premier League triumph on October 24. Getty

9. Salah was soon at it again, adding the fourth at Old Trafford. Getty

10. A hat-trick for Salah, adding the fifth in Liverpool's 5-0 win at Manchester United. Getty

11. After three games without a goal, Salah is back on the scoresheet in the 4-0 demolition of Arsenal in the Premier League on November 20. EPA

12. Another to delight the Liverpool fans as Salah scores his side's second goal during the 4-1 Merseyside derby win at Everton on December 1. AP

13. His next came in the same match at Goodison Park. EPA

14. The only goal of the game in the 1-0 Premier League victory over Aston Villa at Anfield on December 11. EPA

15. Liverpool keep the momentum going with a 3-1 win over Newcastle at Anfield, with Salah netting the second, on December 16. Reuters

16. Salah celebrates another goal in the 2-2 draw at Chelsea on January 2. AP

17. Salah scores the second goal in the 3-1 win against Norwich on February 19. PA

18. Mohamed Salah scores in the 6-0 win against Leeds on February 23. PA

19. Salah after scoring his second goal of the game against Leeds. AP

20. Another stunning season for Mohamed Salah as he notches Premier League goal No 20 in the 2-0 win at Brighton on March 12. PA

Group G

Pacesetters South Africa face bogey team Ethiopia, who took four points off them in 2014 qualifiers, leading to Bafana Bafana coaches Pitso Mosimane and Gordon Igesund being sacked.

Ghana and Zimbabwe will have new coaches for back-to-back meetings with Serb Milovan Rajevac replacing Charles Akonnor at the Black Stars and Norman Mapeza succeeding Croat Zdravko Logarusic at the Warriors.

Group H

Sadio Mane's Senegal could seal first place with two victories over closest challengers Namibia, another country affected by stadium standards and forced to host matches in neighbouring South Africa.

The biggest threat to the Senegalese will probably come from Peter Shalulile, a consistent scorer for Mamelodi Sundowns, the dominant club in South Africa.

Group I

Morocco, whose first choice line-up includes star Sevilla forward Youssef en-Nesyri, will play 'away' matches against Guinea-Bissau and Guinea at home, giving them a huge advantage.

Leaders Guinea-Bissau do not have an international-standard stadium while Fifa currently considers Guinea an unsafe destination after a coup forced Morocco to flee Conakry last month.

Group J

Tanzania were seeded fourth, but lead Benin on goals scored with section favourites DR Congo third and without a win despite two goals from recalled 35-year-old Dieumerci Mbokani.

The top two meet in Dar es Salaam and Cotonou and former Aston Villa forward Mbwana Samatta captains a Tanzanian team coached by Dane Kim Poulsen.