WEEKLY AWARDS
TEAM: ARSENAL
There were three teams who recorded two wins this week. However, only one team played one of their games away and kept two clean sheets.
Arsenal were back to winning ways with a professional performance at Wolves and a devastating destruction of Chelsea in the London derby to put them back on top.
Well done also to Everton. Crystal Palace. Burnley. Brentford. Aston Villa and Man Utd.
GOALKEEPER: JORDON PICKFORD (Everton)
The Everton man was a clear winner this week with two very good performances to earn two valuable home clean sheets.
Although they had to ride their luck against Forest, he made two very telling saves to help earn that clean sheet. Then an even better performance to earn a clean sheet in the Merseyside derby, which he will cherish.
Shout out also to Burnley’s Muric. Bournemouth’s Travers and Villa’s Martinez.
DEFENDER: JARROD BRANTHWAITE (Everton)
Not only did he put in an impressive man-of-the-match performance in their win at home to Forest.
But he followed it by scoring the opening goal on the way to a rare Merseyside derby win. All still at the tender age of just 21, the future is bright.
Well done also to his teammates Godfrey and Tarkowski. Arsenal trio White, Saliba & Gabriel. Burnley’s Assignon. Bourneouth’s Senesi. Fulham’s Castagne. Palace’s Anderson. Brentford’s Pinnock. Man Utd’s Maguire. Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold and Man City’s Walker.
MIDFIELDER: MARTIN ODEGAARD (Arsenal)
This was probably the hardest decision this week with several candidates. However, I went with the captain, who could be leading his team on a memorable journey that could take them to the title.
Leading by example he seems to be the driving force behind the team’s charge to the title. Scored the second in the win at Wolves to settle the nerves. Then was instrumental in the destruction of Chelsea, assisting two and involved in one more.
Shout out to his teammate Rice. Man City duo Foden & De Bruyen. Aston Villa threesome Rodgers, Diaby & Bailey. Arsenal duo Rice & Odegaard. Sheff Utd’s Hamer. Liverpool’s Gravenberch. Everton trio Harrison, Gueye & McNiel.
Brentford’s Lewis-Potter. Burnley duo Bruno Larsson & Gudmundsson. Man Utd’s Fernandes. Palace duo Hughes & Wharton.
FORWARD: JEAN-PHILIPPE MATETA (Crystal Palace)
Not many forwards have recorded a double, double in a week, and very few would have done so for Palace.
With his four goals in both of Palace’s home games this week, he becomes the first Palace player to score in five consecutive home games.
Well done also to his teammates Olise & Eze. Arsenal duo Trossard & Havertz. Burnley’s Foster. Brentford duo Wissa & Mbeumo. Villas Watkins. Liverpool’s Jota.
West Ham’s Antonio. Bournemouth duo Samenyo & Solanke. Man Utd’s Hojlund. Sheff Utd duo Bogle & Brereton. Everton’s Calvert-Lewin and Man City’s Alvarez.
MANAGER: OLIVER GLASNER (Crystal Palace)
I have been impressed in the short time he has been at Palace. He was unlucky Last week not to get recognised following his team’s superb win at Anfield.
He followed that up this week with two wins against two teams above them in the league and fighting for Europe.
Shout out also to Eveton’s Dyche. Arsenal’s Arteta. Brentford’s Frank. Burnley’s Kompany and Villa’s Emery.
UNSUNG HERO: PHIL FODEN (Man City)
Obviously, not unsung, but in the two recent league games Haaland has missed, he has weighed in with five goals and really stepped into that main-man category.
Although he has been doing it for a few seasons now. This season, it seems he has gone up another level. His two goals against Brighton made it 16 in the league and 22 for the season.
Well done also to Arsenal trio Havertz. White. & Trossard. Man Utd’s Maguire. Everton’s Gueye. Palace’s Eze and Burnley’s Assignaon.
GAME: MAN UTD 4-2 SHEFF UTD
Sheff Utd shocked all when they took the lead, following Onana’s poor pass out, pounced upon by Bogle, who ran through on the right and beat the keeper at the near post (35).
Man Utd equalised when Maguire flicked in Garnacho’s cross at the near post (42). In the second half, Sheff Utd shocked again by taking the lead when Brereton stabbed home Osbourne’s cross from the left (50).
Man Utd got another equaliser when Maguire was fouled in the box, and Fernandes made no mistake from the spot (61).
It was then 3-2 to Man Utd when Fernandes fired in an unstoppable effort with his left foot from 20 yards out (81) The points were safe when Hojlund swept in Fernandes’ cross to make it four (85).
GOAL: BRUNO FERNANDES (Man Utd vs Sheff Utd
With less than ten minutes to go and the game locked at 2-2, Bruno Fernandes collected a short pass from Wan-Bissaka, just 25 yards from goal.
He turned quickly, and with no Sheff Utd player within a yard, he shifted the ball onto his left and let fly with a thunderous drive that flew into the near top corner.
There were also good goals from Brentford’s Wissa. Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold. Palace’s Eze and Man City’s De Bruyne.
FOOL: CHELSEA FC
Liverpool was lucky they got a win at Fulham before the Everton result. Wolves were close, losing two home games in a few days. However, the blue billion-pound bottle jobs were at it again.
It is sad to think everyone feared for them if Palmer got injured, and those fears were justified. Without Palmer, they were lacklustre and devoid of any ideas, defensively and offensively, resulting in a humiliating 5-0 defeat in the London derby at Arsenal. FOOLS!
