TEAM: CHELSEA
This one was close as Liverpool put in a near flawless destruction of Palace, and became the first team in Premier League history to not allow the opposition a touch in their box. However, since we came back from lockdown, Man City have been irresistible, but the pressure of needing to win may have got to them, and the Chelsea hoodoo struck again as they combined fight, desire and quality to beat City. Their win was again the deciding factor in crowing the Premier League champions, just as they did for Leicester and Man City in previous years. Well done also to Man Utd, Arsenal, Tottenham, Everton, Wolves & Burnley.
GOALKEEPER: KASPER SCHMEICHEL (Leicester)
There weren’t many exceptional goalkeeper performances this week, however, there were a few decent ones and for me, the stand out was the Leicester keeper, mainly for his impressive penalty save from Maupay, which, in a game with few chances, went a long way to secure a point. This was in addition to a few decent late saves he made to make sure his team, who were uncharacteristically lacklustre, didn’t lose. Shout out also to Arsenal’s Martinez, Man Utd’s De Gea and Burnley’s Pope.
DEFENDER: TARIQ LAMPTEY (Brighton)
It wasn’t a great game but i’m sure he didn’t care, especially as he made his league debut. The teenager who signed from Chelsea in January, put in a composed and confident performance that belies his age. Away at Leicester, against the Premier League top scorer in Vardy, he didn’t put a foot wrong, was solid in defence and creative going forward for a man of the match debut performance. Well done also to Chelsea duo Rudiger and Christensen, Man Utd’s Wan-Bissaka, Everton’s Keane, Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold, Wolves, Boly, Leicester’s Soyuncu, Villa’s El Mohamady and Arsneal’s Holding who was close to winning this.
MIDFIELDER: FABINHO (Liverpool)
He put in a masterful performance in the heart of Liverpool’s midfield, it really was an all around masterclass. Not only was he strong and tenacious in the tackle, winning the ball back often, he showed his vision and passing quality with his lovely assist for Salah for the second goal. If that wasn’t enough, he popped up with a rocket of a strike from outside the box for the third goal. Shout out also to Burnley’s McNeil, Arsenal duo Willock & Saka, Man City’s De Bruyne, Man Utd’s Pogba, Newcastle’s Saint-Maximin, Everton’s Iwobi and Tottenham’s Lo Celso.
FORWARD: ANTHONY MARTIAL (Man United)
Obviously this was an easy one this week. Martial scored his first Man Utd hat-trick and the first hat-trick by a Man Utd player in the Premier League for seven years. He showed great awareness and anticipation to be in the right place at the right time to make his first two finishes look easy. He then took his third superbly with a lovely dink over the keeper to take home the match ball. Well done also to Chelsea’s Pulisic, Burnley’s Rodriguez, Wolves due Traore & Jimenez, Liverpool due Salah & Mane, Arsenal’s Nketiah, Newcastle’s Gayle and Tottenham’s Kane.
MANAGER: JURGAN KLOPP (Liverpool)
Although Lampard deserves credit for the way his team battled and showed quality to topple City, the week belongs to Liverpool and Jurgan Klopp, who ended Liverpool’s 30 year wait for a league title. What a fitting game it was to seal the title with the 4-0 drubbing of Palace, who didn’t have a single touch in Liverpool’s box. The reds were scintillating with the kind of free flowing, rock and roll football Klopp has made an identity. All four goals were a thing of beauty to make it 16 home wins out of 16.
UNSUNG HERO: ADAMA TRAORE (Wolves)
Last week it was his mate Jimenez, this week it’s his turn. Not so much unsung, but I felt he deserved to be recognised for the progress he has made in his game. He came off the bench in their last game to make all the difference and lead his team to victory. This week, in front the start, he again made all the difference with his direct, powerful running and has added much more quality to his game, which he showed with his superb cross to set up Jimenez for the winner.
GAME: CHELSEA 2-1 MAN CITY
In a tense but surprisingly open game, Chelsea took the lead when Rudiger’s header from inside his box cleared the ball to outside the box to Mendy and Guendogan, who both seemed to hesitate, get in a mix up and loose translation, allowing Pulisic to capitalise and run onto the ball, he then slowed up Mendy then used his pace to run past him all the way into the box, where he opened his body and slotted the ball past Ederson into the bottom corner (36). In the second half, City equalised when De Bruyne dispatched a superb free kick into the top corner (55). Sterling then hit the post and Walker saved off the line from Pulisic, before a mad scramble in the City penalty box saw Fernandinho handle on the line to stop Abrahams from scoring. He was given his marching orders and Willian coolly slotted in the penalty to win the game (78).
GOAL: SADIO MANE (Liverpool) v Crystal Palace
This goal typified everything you need to know about Liverpool’s thrilling front three. It was a demonstration of fast paced, precision, pass and move, quality counter attacking. Mane picked up the loose ball on the touchline and played a reverse pass inside to Firmino in the Palace half, the Brazilian controlled, turned and played a ball inside for Salah just inside his half, as Mane continued his run, Salah had the vision and played a first time, right footed ball from right to left, for the on rushing Mane, who without breaking stride, touched the ball with his left to cut in on goal inside the box, he then set himself, opened his body and angled a right footed effort into the far bottom corner.
FOOL: WEST HAM UNITED
There wasn’t many candidates to choose from this week, well, not many individual candidates. However, there were a few collective ones, namely the teams in the relegation zone. Three of the bottom four teams have lost both their games since returning from lockdown. Norwich was more or less down from before lockdown. Bournemouth are teetering nervously and have been on the decline. However, West Ham, in their fourth season in the Olympic stadium, with resources to spend almost £100m on transfers this season, have really struggled and clearly not learnt lessons from the past. They look toothless upfront and fragile at the back, which, with seven games to go and no clear signs of improvement, is the combination of a relegation team. FOOLS!
