(AP Photo/Jon Super) APCrystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira won't try to block his players from competing in the African Cup of Nations, arguing that the tournament deserves more respect. “I will never stop any players to go to play the African Cup of Nations,” Vieira said at a press conference ahead of Palace's match at Tottenham on Sunday. “I respect and I understand the passion and the importance of those players to go and to represent their country,” Vieira said. Liverpool would be missing league-leading scorer Mohamed Salah (Egypt) as well as Sadio Mane (Senegal) and Naby Keita (Guinea), among other teams set to lose players. It was given a second chance in 2021 but the event was pushed back a year because of the pandemic.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 25, 2021 23:46 UTC