TEAM: MANCHESTER UTD
Although it was touch and go for most of the game and they only took the lead in the 86th minute, they did well to whether the storm after conceded in the second minute, then having a goal disallowed and missing a penalty. You would have expected their heads to drop and go on to maybe lose the game, but they showed character and determination to go right to the very end and get a moral boosting away win. Well done also to Aston Villa, Man City and Wolves.
GOALKEEPER: EMILLIANO MARTINEZ (Aston Villa)
In games where chances are few and far between, there is a very fine line between success and failure. A big factor to that fine line is the performance of your goalkeeper. In their first four games, Villa have kept three clean sheets, obviously the defence has to take massive credit for that, but having a steady, reliable and confident keeper behind them makes all the difference and whenever he was called upon he was there to earn another clean sheet. Shout out also to Fulham’s Areola, Sheff Utd’s Ramsdale, Man City’s Ederson, Burnley’s Pope & Newcastle’s Darlow, despite letting in four.
DEFENDER: HARRY MAGUIRE (Man Utd)
Maguire has had a retched time of it lately, so when United went behind after 2 minutes, you were expecting the worse. Although many advised for Maguire to be taken out the firing line, Solskjaer kept faith with his captain, who had to draw on every ounce of his character to not only stay composed, but lead the way by heading in the all important equaliser and then was defensively sound to help his team to victory. Well done also to his team mate Wan-Bissaka, Man City duo Walker & Dias, Liverpool’s Robertson, Everton’s Keane, Villa duo Konsa & Mings, Burnley’s Tarkowski, WBA’s Hagazy, West Ham’s Balbuena, Palace’s Kouyate, Brighton’s Burn and Wolves due Coady & Kilman.
MIDFIELDER: ROSS BARKLEY (Aston Villa)
In a game where chances were at a premium and defences were on top, it was always going to take a moment of brilliance to decide the game, and the on loan midfielder produced it. He had been making forward runs all game, creating space for his team mates to have chances and causing a nuisance, but when he got his chance, his quality shone through to win it, scoring his second goal in two Villa games. Well done also to his team mate Mata & Fernandez, Chelsea’s Havertz, Tottenham’s Son, Everton’s Digne, iverpool duo Thiago & Henderson, West Han duo Lanzini & Yarmalenko also Fulham’s Lookman.
FORWARD: HARRY KANE (Tottenham)
This was a tough one as two strikers scored two and assisted one, however I went for the England man as he really seems to be on a roll lately. Taking up what seems to be deeper positions, he has really surprised with his vision, passing ability and intelligence. We obviously know about his lethal finishing, but he has shown an unselfish streak, with his link up play and a superb defensive block in his own box. Shout out also to Man City’s Sterling, Liverpool duo Mane & Salah, Man Utd’s Rashford, Everton’s Calvert-Lewin, Brighton’s Mac Allister, Sheff Utd’s Sharp and Wolves’ Jimenez.
MANAGER: DEAN SMITH (Aston Villa)
This is the second week in a row now and for two very different games. Against Liverpool they showed their attacking ability, athleticism, running off the ball and finishing, Against Leicester they showed a defensive steel, solidness and was very hard to break down. Then when it was needed, one of his new signings came up with the quality. They have gone from surviving relegation last season by one point, to winning four from four games.
UNSUNG HERO: CONOR COADY (Wolves)
He had a superb last season but at the moment, you could say he is having the time of his life. A recent England call up, first England goal, he really seems to be at the top of this game, has become a natural leader and put in a highly professional and solid performance at Leeds, to earn an impressive clean sheet. One good thing about having no fans in the stadium, is you can hear the vocals players on the pitch and he never stopped talking, ordering, organising and encouraging. A leader in every sense of the word.
GAME: CHELSEA 3-3 SOUTHAMPTON
Chelsea opened the scoring just a minute after Werner scored a disallowed goal, Chilwell played a ball down the left for Werner, who let it run through his legs to beat the Bednarek, as he got into the box, he cut inside two defenders and lashed the ball back into the bottom corner (15). It was then two, when midway in the Chelsea half, Azpilicueta played a ball inside for Jorginho who played a long searching ball for Werner to run onto. He managed to get in front of Bednarek and as the ball bounced off him, he lobbed it over the on rushing keeper and headed into an empty net (28), Ings then pulled a goal back when Harvertz lost the ball in the Southampton half, Adams pounced and threaded a for Ings to round the keeper and put into an empty net (43). In the second half, Southampton equalised when Zouma played a weak back pass, as Adams bared down on goal, Kepa missed the ball, Adams tried to cross which Christenson blocked and as the ball came back off the post, Adams was on hand to lash home (57). Chelsea took the lead again when Kante won the ball in his own half, Jorginho played it down the left for Werner, who ran into the Southampton half, cut inside and played a ball square for Pulisic then continued his run into the box, Pulisic then slipped a ball through for Werner who squared for Harvertz to sweep home to make it 3-2 (59). In the dying seconds, Southampton got a late equaliser when Bertrand swung in a free kick, it was headed out to Walcott who volleyed back in for Vestergaard to head home with a deft touch. (90+2).
GOAL: MANUEL LANZINI (West Ham) v Tottenham
After going three goals down after just 16 minutes, West Ham somehow fought their way back to 3-2. Literally in the last few seconds of the game, Cresswell swung in a free kick from midway in the Spurs half, which was headed to just outside the box. As the ball bounced, Winks got a toe to the ball just ahead of Snodgrass, but the ball then fell to Lanzini 25 yards out, who hit a first time, thunderous effort, slicing across the ball, allowing it to arrow to the top corner, off the keepers finger tips, off the underside of the bar and in. There were also good goals by Man Utd’s Fernandez & Fulham’s Lookman.
FOOL: DAVID COOTE (VAR Official)
What more can I say that hasn’t been said already? We have seen some horrible VAR performances and calls but this could be the worse of the lot. It’s bad enough he made no call for Pickford viciously injuring Van Dijk, putting him out for the season. But after Liverpool grabbed a dramatic late winner, he and his silly little lines claimed Mane was offside, when all and sundry are still looking to see where the offside is. Absolute incompetence, FOOL!
