TEAM: LIVERPOOL
Tottenham might feel a bit hard done by after beating Man City, but it was a city team who has already been destroyed at home to Leicester, drew at Leeds & West Ham and started without Aguero & Sterling. Liverpool on the other hand, were missing no less than six, first team players, against a Leicester team who were 100% away and trying to go top. However, it seemed non of these facts mattered as Liverpool dominated from start to finish to brush Leicester aside with ease and set a new home record of 64 games unbeaten. As well as Spurs, Well done also to Brighton, Chelsea, Burnley, Everton, West Ham and Man Utd.
GOALKEEPER: SAM JOHNSTONE (West Brom)
It’s becoming somewhat of a trend this season where this award goes to a keeper on the losing side, but each time it’s fully deserved and probably no more than this week. The West Brom keeper really did everything to keep Man Utd out and even saved a penalty, but was adjudged to have come off his line. United then scored with the retaken penalty which resulted in the winning goal. If it wasn’t for that retaken penalty, his heroics would have and should have earned him an excellent clean sheet. Shout out also to Tottenham’s Lloris, West Ham’s Fabianski, Arsenal’s Leno, Brighton’s Ryan and Burnley’s Pope.
DEFENDER: ERIK DIER (Tottenham)
Although City were without Aguero, with Sterling starting on the bench, they still had some very capable forward players on the pitch. However, Dier was in top form to help shut out city’s forward line with several, blocks, tackles, headers and clearances. He just seemed to sense trouble and crucially, be in the right place at the right time more often then not to thwart Man City and help his team to a clean sheet and victory. Well done also to his team mate Reguilon, West Brom duo Bartley & Ivanovic, Chelsea duo Rudiger & Zouma, Arsenal’s Tierney, Everton’s Digne, West Ham’s Ogbonna, Burnley’s Tarkowski, Southapton’s Vestergaard also Liverpool foursome Matip, Fabinho, Milner & Robertson who was close to winning this.
MIDFIELDER: SOLLY MARCH (Brighton)
It was a real turn up for the books to see him emerge in the game at Villa. Nobody really expected such a performance, especially as Villa’s last game was a dominating display at Arsenal. But up against the like of Grealish, Barkley, McGinn and Luiz, he became the stand out player, with his tireless running, pin point passing, tracking back and finishing, with a lovely strike that settled the game. Shout out also to Spurs trio Lo Celso, Hojbjerg & Ndombele, Chelsea’s Kante, Fulham’s Loftus-Cheek, Liverpool trio Keita, Wijnaldum & Jones, Man Utd’s Fernandes, Everton trio Allan, Doucoure & Iwobi also Wolves’ Moutinho.
FORWARD: DOMINIC CALVERT-LEWIN (Everton)
He was the only striker to bag a double this week. The England striker really is in the best period of his career. As well as his recent England call up and goal, he is banging them in for Everton, and now seems to have fully grown into the roll and thriving. At Fulham, he showed all his predatory instincts to twice be in the right place at the right time to bag two goals and lead the way as the leagues top scorer. Well done also to Liverpool duo Firmino & Jota, Spurs duo Kane & Son, Brighton’s Welbeck, Chelsea duo Werner & Abraham, West Han’s Haller, Burnley duo Rodriguez & Wood, Southampton’s Walcott & Wolves’ Neto.
MANAGER: JOSE MOURINHO (Tottenham)
It was an old, classic smash and grab job by Mourinho. It seems he has the blueprint on how to beat Guardiola’s teams, as he has done previously and twice in a row now for Spurs. City had most of the play and chances, but Spurs remained strong and disciplined to catch them on the break, early in the game to open the scoring. They then defended stoutly and in the second half, sucked City in and did it again with the second goal from Lo Celso, scoring only 35 seconds after coming on.
UNSUNG HERO: JAMES MILNER (Liverpool)
He is literally the man for every and all occasions. The 35 year old has really been Klopp’s Swiss army knife, used in emergencies to good effect. In recently years he has been a back up left back, but with Trent out, this time he played right back and had a really good game, I was impressed with his penetrating passes into the front three. Then when Keita went off injured, he filled in at a more familiar role in midfield, again to good effect, where his vast experience helped him to see out the game with minimal fuss.
GAME: FULHAM 2-3 EVERTON
Everton got off to a lighting start and scored within the first minute when Richarlison pounced on a poor control in midfield by Reid, danced into the box and flashed a low cross in for Calvert-Lewin to get in front of his marker and bundle home (1). Fulham equalised following a good passage of play in midfield, then a good one, two by Reid and Cairney which Reid swept home into the bottom corner (15). Everton then regained the lead following another good move where the ball found its way to Digne and his first time, low cross was neatly side footed home by Calvert-Lewin (29). Everton then made it three following another lovely pinpoint cross from Digne which found Doucoure in acres of space in the box to nod home (35). In the second half Fulham got a penalty when Loftus-Cheek was fouled in the box following a good one, two but Cavaleiro blazed over (65). Fulham then pulled a goal back when Aina played Lookman in on the right, who used his pace to beat his marker and pull the ball back for Loftus-Cheek to side foot home (70).
GOAL: SEBASTIEN HALLER (West Ham) v Sheff Utd
Following a clearance from the Sheff Utd goalkeeper, the ball was picked up just inside the West Ham half by Coufal who moved forward and played a ball to Bowen who drove forward then played a ball left to Fornals. Just outside the box, he tried to cut back onto his right foot for a shot but the shot was block, the ball then roll across into Haller’s path who set himself and hit a powerful, rocket like effort that flew into the top corner.
FOOL: NICOLAS PEPE (Arsenal)
For me and I am sure most, this was a pretty easy one. Arsenal have been poor lately and Pepe has struggled to get in the side. He publicly complained about not getting his chance and have been backed by the fans. So on a rare start, where you would expect him to be desperate to make a good impression, he committed the ultimate sin with a petulant, stupid and immature headbutt to receive his marching orders. He has absolutely no excuses, and his manager agreed, as he wasted no time to publicly state Pepe let everyone down. He will now receive a three match ban at a time where everyone is needed and now can have nothing to say if he is left out the side again. FOOL!
