It is Man City vs Liverpool (again) as Mahrez takes on Mane in AFCON final

Senegal are looking to make history on Friday night by winning their first ever Africa Cup of Nations title. It won't be easy against an Algeria side, led by Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez, as they are searching for their first AFCON title since they last lifted the title in 1990.

Liverpool star Sadio Mane has said he would trade his Champions League final winners' medal to lift a trophy with Senegal and he is 90 minutes away from adding international honours.

Sportsmail takes a look at both sides, the topical Manchester City v Liverpool rivalry in this game, how each team got to the final and why Kalidou Koulibaly's suspension could come back to haunt Senegal.

Manchester City v Liverpool (Again!)

It is the rivalry that goes on and on - despite the Premier League season ending with City's title celebrations in Brighton 68 days ago.

Both managers will have one eye on Friday's final with each side possessing one of the two talismen on show.

Algeria's hopes rest with Mahrez and he will need to step up for an unfancied side to upset the odds. He did that in the semi-final, scoring a sublime free-kick with seconds left against Nigeria.

Mane has three goals in the tournament so far with his most recent in the 1-0 last-16 win over Uganda, sparing Senegal from a shock early exit.

Both have lifted trophies this season - Mahrez domestically and Mane in the Champions League - and whoever steps up on Friday is likely to be the one kissing the trophy at full-time.

How have the two teams got this far?

There have been some nervy moments for both, narrow wins, extra-time winners and even a penalty shootout for Algeria.

Djamel Belmadi's Algeria side have been unbeaten from the opening group stage game and look a real force to be reckoned with in their current system, which places emphasis on the wing play.

They rode their luck at times against Ivory Coast - one of the tournament favourites - but that is a sign of a championship team to come through when not on top.

For Senegal, while their progress has not been flashy they have been brutally efficient - particularly in the knockout stages.

The Lions beat Uganda, Benin and Tunisia each by a single goal with boss Aliou Cisse building his foundations from the back with a mean defence.

Algeria are the bogey team

Records alone will not do the job but Algeria's players will be buoyed by their superior record when they come up against Senegal.

They do not need to delve too deep in the record books either. With both sides in the same group for this tournament, Algeria are edging the psychological battle after they ran out 1-0 winners in that game.

It is the only black mark on Senegal's card on the run to the final and it cannot be underestimated how much confidence Algeria will draw from that result.

But going further back, Senegal have reason to be fearful. The last time they managed a win against their final opponents it was May 2008.

In the 11 years that followed that win the two sides have met five times, with Algeria winning four and drawing the other.

Losing Kalidou Koulibaly to suspension hurts Senegal

Finals are sometimes won and lost by the finest margins and Senegal will hope they can prevail without talismanic defender Kalidou Koulibaly on Friday night.

The Napoli centre back, considered one of the finest in the world in his position, picked up a booking - and subsequently a ban - in the semi-final win against Tunisia to rule him out.

Players who collect two or more yellow cards in the three matches before the final are handed a suspension and the card against Tunisia was the Napoli man's second in three games.

'He is a key player in the group. He contributes a lot. But we will also be playing for him, to honour him,' Ndiaye told Seneweb. 'Each player gave his best no matter how small and, now, the most important thing is that we are through to the final. We will do everything to win.'

Defence has been the key to victory for Senegal. Without Koulibaly, it could quickly unravel for the Lions.

Aside from Mahrez and Mane, who are the danger men?

Those two are unquestioanbly where the expectation and hope rests but there are others in both sides that will feel they can write the script and make themselves the lead character in the final.