TEAM: MANCHESTER CITY
When the former champions are in this kind of mood, you just have to hold you hands up and applaud. I felt for Newcastle as it seems they could not do a thing to stop them, or get near them. City seemed to be several steps ahead all game and going into double fingers with shots on target, Newcastle were just lucky it was only the five they conceded. Well done also to Man Utd, Sheff Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea, Burnley and Watford.
GOALKEEPER: NICK POPE (Burnley)
The Premier League’s clean sheet leader put in another sterling performance to help lead his team to a superb away win in their push for European football. West Ham did try as they might, but found Pope in another one of his inspiring moods as he stood strong and pulled off a few very important and impressive saves to make it 13 cleans sheets for the season. Shout out also to Arsenal’s Martinez, Leicester’s Schmeichel and Sheff Utd’s Henderson.
DEFENDER: JOHN EGAN (Sheffield United)
Sheff Utd are on an amazing quest for Champions League football and just Europe in general, this game against a direct rival in Wolves was a vital one. Egan scored last week and stated, along with the manager, he should have scored more. Along with doing his part to keep a clean sheet, as the game was petering out for a 0-0, he popped up with a clinic, late strike any forward would have been proud of to snatch a very vital victory. Well done also to his team mates Basham & O’Connell, Liverpool’s Van Dijk, Brighton’s Lamptey, Arsenal’s Luiz, Watford’s Dawson, Man City duo Zinchenko & Walker, Palace’s Van Aanholt and Bournemouth’s Ake,
MIDFIELDER: DAVID SILVA (Man City)
Even a team with such an abundance of stars like Man City will miss a player like him. In his last season in the Premier League, Silva is putting in a few cameo performances to gives everyone a little reminder of just how good he is, it was a vintage display where he out performed everyone on the pitch, assisting two and scoring a superb free kick. Shout out also to his team mates Rodri & De Bruyne, Liverpool duo Keita & Henderson, Brighton’s Trossard, Arsenal duo Tierney & Ceballos, Watford duo Sarr & Welbeck, Norwich’s Buendia, Southampton’s Ward-Prowse, Man Utd’s duo Pogba & Greenwood.
FORWARD: MO SALAH (Liverpool)
With all the talk about a few other strikers gunning for the Golden Boot, he gave a timely reminder to the league that he is not yet out of it with two goals and two impressive finishes. He took his first very well with a first time, left footed effort into the corner. The second for me was more impressive, as he arrived late from a corner to head back in at the near post to beat the keeper, a real strikers goal. He also assisted Liverpool’s second goal. Well done also to Arsenal duo Aubameyang & Saka, Leicesters’s Vardy, Palace duo Zaha & Benteke, Chelsea trio Willian, Abrahams & Pulisic, Burnley’s Rodriguez, Man City duo Mahrez & Jesus, Everton’s Richarlison and Southampton’s Ings
MANAGER: CHRIS WILDER (Sheff Utd)
What he is doing is truly amazing. To think there are just four games left to go in the season and Sheff Utd still have an outside chance at qualifying for the Champions League. It was a game where a point was not enough and they had to win against their rivals to still be in the hunt. They kept going until the very end and got their rewards right at the death, it was a deserved victory for their efforts, where the team seems to play in the managers mould of showing fight, heart and desire until the very last whistle.
UNSUNG HERO: DANNY INGS (Southampton)
Obviously he is not exactly unsung, but I felt the need to give him some recognition for the season he is having. I think he is finally vindicating Liverpool’s decision to sign him, where he was extremely unlucky with injuries. Southampton took the chance and he’s been is rewarding them, it shows that all he needed was a run of games and that predatory instincts has come flooding back. He is really in a rich vein of form, looking lethal and scoring almost every week, to the point where he is challenging the likes of Vardy, Aubameyang, Salah & Mane for the golden boot.
GAME: CRYSTAL PALACE 2-3 CHELSEA
Chelsea took an early lead when James played Willian in down the right, Cahill went down injured trying to chase him, leaving space for Willian to continue into the box and cut the ball back for Giroud, in front his marker to sweep home (6). Chelsea then went two up when Christensen won the ball high, Mount then played the ball to Willian, he drove to the edge of the box, played a one, two with Giroud then played Pulisic in on the left, who shifted the ball to his left foot and lashed into the roof of the net from a tight angle (27). Palace then got a goal back when Zaha picked up the ball in midfield and fired an unstoppable effort from over 20 yards out, central into the roof of the net (34). In the second half, Chelsea restored their two goal advantage when Loftus-Cheek, from the edge of the box, slipped a lovely ball through for Abrahams, who fired in at the far past (71). Palace hit back instantly when Van Aanholt took McArthur’s left sided cross in his stride to beat a man in the box and his low cross was tapped in by Benteke (72). Palace almost snatched a draw at the death but Dann’s far post header was touched onto the post by Kepa.
GOAL: DANNY WELBECK (Watford) v Norwich
The move started from a Norwich cross from the left that was stopped in the box. Hughes then played a ball out to Doucoure, who played a high ball down the right for Sarr, who was too strong for his maker, brushing him to the floor and went marauding down the right flank. As he got into the box, Sarr squared it across, Aarons who was racing back into his own box, got to the ball first, but sliced the clearance into the air. As the ball dropped, Welbeck, set himself, angled his body and hit a picture perfect overhead kick into the top left hand corner of the net to win the game.
FOOL: JOSE MOURINHO (Tottenham)
When Spurs got rid of Pochettino and appointed Mourinho, the football world was sort of split. I wasn’t convinced, 1. Because of what Poch did for Spurs and 2. I just feel the game has passed Mourinho by. Spurs have had had an indifferent season under Mourinho, their style of play has definitely changed and it does not look like he is getting the best out of the players. They went to a Bournemouth team who are struggling in the relegation zone, all were expecting a Spurs win, against a team who has conceded the joint third most in the league. However, although they should have had a penalty, with players such as Kane, Bergwijn, Lamela, Son, Lucas Moura & Lo Celso, Spurs failed to register one shot on target. FOOLS!
