Weekly Awards: April 25th-26th 2015

TEAM: EVERTON

Though recent history suggested an Everton win along with them being on a five game unbeaten streak, you still wasn’t quite convinced. But after the early goal, Martinez’ men never looked back. Following their opening goal, they soaked up all of United’s pressure and hit them with two sucker blows to comprehensively win the match. Well done also to Leicester, Hull and Swansea.

GOALKEEPER: ADRIAN (West Ham)

I think it’s fair to say West Ham, in that safe, mid-table obscurity have not much to play for and are really playing like it. This presented a great opportunity for QPR to get a vital and much-needed win but Adrian didn’t get the memo. He made a string of fine, acrobatic saves, including one from the spot to frustrate QPR for a point. Shout out also to Sunderland’s Pantilimon, WBA’s Myhill, Everton’s Howard and Leicester’s Schmeichel.

DEFENDER: JOHN STONES (Everton)

He had a great game deputising at center back. Scored the vital second goal and stood up well to the likes of Rooney and the physicality of Felliani. Then after seeing off the Belgian, Falcao was brought on at half time. Stones, along with his team mates hardly gave him a kick. Well done also to his team mates Coleman and Baines, Leicester’s Morgan, QPR’s Onouha, QPR’s Lescott, Liverpool’s Lovren and Chelsea’s Terry who was close to winning this.

MIDFIELDER: JAMES MCCARTHY (Everton)

This was probably the best game I have seen him play. He scored the all important opening goal with a great run and finish. Following that, he was full of running, making tackles, driving the team forward with a performance full of desire and determination. Shout out also to Hull’s Brady, Swansea’s Sigurdsson, QPR’s Barton, Stoke’s Adam and Man City’s Fernandinho.

FORWARD: DAME N’DOYE (Hull City)

Hull have really been struggling lately, no more so than upfront. So it was a relief that N’doye was on hand to be in the right place at the right time to finish the first then settle the game with a lovely finish for the second. He could have had a hat-trick. Well done also to Southampton’s Pelle, Leicester’s Vardy, Swansea’s Oliveira and Man City’s Aguero.

MANAGER: NIGEL PEARSON (Leicester City)

This was probably the toughest decision for me this week. Martinez obviously deserves credit for another victory over United. As does Bruce for a rare away win at Palace. But in a real pressure game at Burnley, miraculously Pearson’s team notched their fourth win in a row. Before that they had only notched 4 wins in 29 games.

UNSUNG HERO: JEFFERSON MONTERO (Swansea)

Every time I have seem him he has always raised my eyebrows. I love his direct, wing play. He’s always looking to attack the full back and create chances. More often than not he puts in a decent cross. I think his game is a dying bread and I love the fact that he is single-minded and persistent in sticking to the wing and getting to the byline. He again got an assist this week to help his team earn a victory at Newcastle.

GAME: MAN CITY 3-2 ASTON VILLA

Under no pressure at all. Guzan scuffed a pass across the six yard box leaving Aguero to tap home into an empty net (3). Man City doubled their lead from a 25 yard free kick when Kolarov found a huge gap in the Villa wall to curl home (66). Two minutes later, a free kick from the left was not cleared by City and the rebound came to Cleverley whose riffled, bouncing effort from just outside the box found the net. Villa were level when N’Zogbia’s corner was headed out to Sanchez who calmly volleyed it, side footed back into the net from around the penalty spot (85) City won it at the death when Kolarov’s corner bounced its way to Fernandinho, who took it on the chest and volleyed home.

GOAL: CHARLIE ADAM (Stoke) v Sunderland

Arnautovic played a ball into the box for Walters. With his back to goal, Walters controlled a played the ball square to Arnautovic who continued his run into the box. Arnautovic then turned and touched it back to Adam, just inside the box. With his unfavoured right foot, he hit an unstoppable, measured, fist time effort that flew, arrow like into the far corner of the net.

FOOL: MAT TAYLOR (Burnley)

In a real six pointer at home to Leicester and the game locked at 0-0, Burnley get a justified penalty. Taylor stepped up, having not taken a pen for a few years. He sent the keeper the wrong way but agonisingly missed the target, as his shot stuck the outside of the post and out. Only 30 odd seconds later, Leicester went up the other end and scored what was the only goal of the game. These are the fine margins between success and failure. Taylor had a great chance of success but he failed. Now Burnley are rock bottom and staring relegation in the face. FOOL!