TEAM: CRYSTAL PALACE
There were some real fine performances this week, so this was a tough decision. However, Palace secured back to back wins at Old Trafford, although it was against a Man Utd team who were playing their first game of the season, it still was a United team that qualified for the Champions League. But Palace showed no fear, attacked from the first whistle and was the better team from start to finish. Well done also to Brighton, Tottenham, Everton, Man City, Liverpool, Leicester, Leeds, Arsenal & Aston Villa.
GOALKEEPER: EMILIANO MARTINEZ (Aston Villa)
This was undoubtedly the hardest decision of them all as naturally, in a weekend that broke the record for most goals in a 20 team Premier League season, there wouldn’t be much outstanding keeper performances. So it was based on moments. Although Martinelli was playing against 10 men from early in the first half, the game was still 0-0 when he superbly saved Lundstram’s penalty. Had that gone in the 10 men of Sheff Utd would have had something to hold on to and Villa would’ve had a task to break them down. But in the end, it was a perfect debut with a win and a clean sheet. Shout out also to Tottenham’s Lloris, Wolves’ Patricio & Liverpool’s Allison.
DEFENDER: TARIQ LAMPTEY (Brighton)
For a 19-year-old to be so influential from a defensive position says a lot. He showed flashes last season, but he’s gone up a notch already this season. Although it’s only been two games, he was impressive against Chelsea last week, this week, he was again full of energy, with lung bursting runs up and down the right flank. He was fouled for the penalty to start the ball rolling and never stopped running and creating all game, in a clear man of the match performance. Well done also to his team mate White, Arsenal’s Gabriel, Palace duo Mitchel & Sakho, Everton duo Keane & Coleman, Leicester’s Castagne, Burnley’s Dunne, Villa’s Konsa and Liverpool’s Fabinho.
MIDFIELDER: JAMES RODRIGUEZ (Everton)
Although it was only WBA, you cannot ignore his performance and the impact he has already made at Everton. Yes, it’s early days, but he has already showed his quality and against WBA, he oozed class on and off the ball, capping it with a lovely goal and an assist for a man of the match performance. Shout out also to Arsenal’s Ceballos, Palace foursome Townsend, McArthur, McCarthy & Schlupp. Man City duo De Bruyne & Foden, Liverpool’s Thiago, Leeds Costa, WBA duo Pereira & Diangana, Fulham’s Reid, Leicester trio Tielemans, Praet & Barnes, Fulham’s Anguissa, Man Utd’s Van der Beek and Brighton’s Trossard.
FORWARD: HEUNG-MIN SON (Tottenham)
Although there were a lot of fine forward performances this week, I could not go against the Spurs man after notching four goals. It was a masterclass of running off the ball and clinical finishing. No doubt the Southampton high line and poor defending helped, but he used his pace and intelligence to take full advantage, to destroy the saints. Well done also to his team mate Kane, Everton’s Calvert-Lewin, Liverpool’s Mane, Palace’s Zaha, Fulham’s Mitrovic, Burnley’s Wood, Southampton’s Ings, West Ham’s Antonio, Brighton duo Maupay & Connolly, Arsenal duo Lacazette & Nketiah, Wolves’ Jimenez and Man City’s Jesus.
MANAGER: ROY HODGSON (Crystal Palace)
I did think about giving this elsewhere but when you look at his away record at the top six teams, you realise it’s no fluke. He really has the Midas touch and his tactical awareness, as well as the no fear he instills in his players really pays off. You could see from the first whistle Palace fancied their chances and definitely played like it, for another inspiring away victory. Shout out also to Brighton’s Potter.
UNSUNG HERO: HARRY KANE (Tottenham)
It’s not often a player or a forward comes off the pitch with a goal and four assists and doesn’t steal the headlines, but it’s not often a player scores four goals, so i’m sure Harry would understand. However, his performance really surprised me as he showed a side of his game I didn’t really think he had. The intelligence to recognise what Southampton was doing wrong, then to drop into a deeper position. The unselfishness to decide to be the provider. The vision to notice the space and finally, the ability to execute the through balls.
GAME: LEEDS 4-3 FULHAM
Leeds took a very early lead when Philips swung a corner in from the right, it came off and head and feel to Costa just outside the corner of the six yard box, who controlled and smashed in the roof of the net at an angle (5). Later Fulham were level Kock slid in on Bryan and Mitrovic put the spot kick away (34). Leeds soon got their own penalty when Bamford was pushed by Bryan and Klich slotted home from the spot (41). In the second half, Leeds got a third when Klich threaded a ball through for Bamford to sweep home (50). Leeds’ got a fourth when Bamford raced down the left and pulled a ball back for Costa to finish, first time, into the top corner (57). Fulham then pulled a goal back when Anguissa did well to evade and challenge and thread a ball through for Reid to take in his stride and strike low into the bottom corner (62). Fulham then got another when Tete swung in a cross from the right and Mitrovic climbed highest to head home (67). It was a nervy end to the game where Fulham hit the post but that was the end of the scoring.
GOAL: MATTEUS PEREIRA (West Brom) v Everton
It’s not often I give this award for free kicks but I had to highlight the quality of the goal. From just under 30 yards out, just to the right of the goal but still fairy central, Pereira stepped up, took a two yard run up, then struck a superb effort with pace and direction that curled, arrowed and slammed into the top corner of the net, giving Pickford absolutely no chance.
FOOL: KEIRAN GIBBS (West Brom)
There were several candidates for this. The whole Southampton backline, Chelsea’s Christensen, VAR, ref Graham Scott, Jorginho and Lundstram, but I had to give it to Gibbs. For a professional footballer, he was everything but professional. His team just went down 2-1, its still the first half and they have not played too badly and was still very much in the game. He got a cheeky barge from James, who probably wanted a reaction and Gibbs fell for it. He reacted like a petulant, sensitive kid, with a grab/push to the face to get his marching orders which killed his teams chances. Absolutely no excuses and fully deserved it. FOOL!
