TEAM: BURNLEY
In a very weird few weeks, where the Premier League crammed three game weeks of football into 12 days, where some teams played one, some two and some playing three games. So was always going to be hard to choose a winner, so instead of going for combined performances, I went for a one off monumental one. That was the best way to describe what Burnley did. Although Liverpool have been struggling, nobody expected Sean Dyche’s men to go to Anfield and snap the champions 68 game home unbeaten run, which went back over 3 years. But it was an old fashioned smash and grab job, staying defensively disciplined, strong, and compact to thwart Liverpool’s stuttering attack, then getting something at the other end by way of a penalty to win the game. Well done also to Man City, Man Utd and Leicester.
GOALKEEPER: KASPER SCHMEICHEL (Leicester)
With so many games, again it was always going to be hard to choose an outstanding individual. There were four keepers this week to have two two clean sheets. However, there could only be one, and although the other keepers did their bit, they didn’t have their clean sheets against two teams in the top half of the table like Schmeichel. In both those games, he was called upon to make saves and was equal to everything Chelsea and Southampton had. Shout out also to Man Utd’s De Gea, Arsenal’s Leno, Man City’s Ederson and Burnley’s Pope.
DEFENDER: JOAO CANCELO (Man City)
In the three games this week, he played right back against Brighton, came off the bench to play in midfield against Palace, then played left back against Aston Villa. In every performance he was impressive going forward, while being solid and confident at the back. Whether it’s on the left or on the right, he is reliable in defence, while being a consistent attacking threat, with his running and balance on the ball, impressive crossing and passing ability. Well done to his team mates Stones & Dias, Burnley’s Mee, Leicester duo Castagne & Evans, Spurs’s Reguilon, Fulham’s Adarabioyo, Wolves’ Boly, WBA Ajayi, Man Utd’s Shaw, Aston Villa’s Targett and Everton’s Keane.
MIDFIELDER: PAUL POGBA (Manchester Utd)
It’s crazy how times change, not long ago there was talk about Pogba not being happy at the club and a possible move in January. Yet in two games in January, he seems back to his absolute best, leading by example up and down the pitch and scoring two winning goals to put his team top of the table. Both goals were taken superbly, an excellent volley against Burnley, then an even better strike to win the game at Fulham. Shout out also to Leicester trio Barnes, Maddison & Tielemans, Chelsea’s Mount, West Ham’s Bowen, Man City foursome De Bruyne, Gundogan, Foden & Rodri, Spurs’ Ndombele, Fulham’s Loftus-Cheek, West Brom’s Pereira, Everton’s Iwobi, Wolves’ Neves, and Sheff Utd’s Ampadu,
FORWARD: MICHAIL ANTONIO (West Ham)
Only two forwards scored in two separate games this week, but from those two, only the West Ham man scored two winners. He is like gold dust to West Ham, although the Hammers and doing decent this season, they really do miss him when he is out and it shows when he is back, as he really does everything for the team. Runs his heart out, gives defenders hell all game and as he showed against Burnley and West Brom, certainly knows where the goal is. Well done also to Arsenal duo Aubameyang & Saka, Brighton’s Maupay, Man Utd’s Cavani, Fulham duo Lookman & Cavaleiro, Man City’s B.Silva, Burnley’s Barnes, Villa’s Watkins, Sheff Utd’s Sharp and Spurs’ Kane who was close to winning this.
MANAGER: BRENDAN RODGERS (Leicester)
The Leicester manager has recently been going about his business in a quite but very efficient manor. Two impressive 2-0 wins against Chelsea and Southampton, where his team looked confident and playing with a maturity that puts the rest of the league on notice. I think the biggest compliment to pay them is that it’s not often, if ever, Vardy has ineffective games back to back, but Leicester still run out comfortable winners, scoring two goals in each game.
UNSUNG HERO: BERTRAND TRAORE (Aston Villa)
The former Chelsea and Lyon man came into the club under a cloud of mystery, with not many fully knowing what to expect. However, since he has got a run in the team, he has gone from strength to strength and I have been really impressed. When he scored his first league goal in December, he has been one of the form players in the league and his running with and without the ball, passing and eye for a goal really compliments the likes of Grealish, Barkley and Watkins. His well taken goal against Newcastle showing touch, skill, pace and finishing ability just wets the appetite for more.
GAME1: WOLVES 2-3 WEST BROM
In a very lively black country derby, West Brom took an early lead when Pereira was harshly adjudged to have been fouled in the box by Ajayi and he got up to cooly tuck the penalty home (9). Wolves equalised when Silva latched onto Boly’s neat flick in the box, he used his strength to ease out the defender and side foot home (38). Wolves then went ahead just before half time following a corner. Boly reacted quickest after WBA failed to clear and he swept home from six yards (43). In the second half, West Brom got an equaliser from a long throw, when Ajayi got his head to Bartley’s flick, to excellently generate power to loop the ball over the keeper (52). Only a few minutes later, WBA were back ahead when Coady tripped Pereira in the box and the Brazilian kept his cool to net the penalty and win the game (56).
GAME2 FULHAM 1-2 MANCHESTER UTD
Fulham scored almost immediately when Anguissa found some space in midfield, saw the run of Lookman and played a ball over the top for the Fulham striker to control well, stride into the box and set himself before hitting a powerful, low effort across De Gea and into the far bottom corner (5). Man Utd hit the post through Fernandes, minutes before they got an the equaliser. Fernandes put a low, whipped cross in from the left, which the keeper couldn’t handle and parried out for Cavani, who was in the right place at the right time to lash home from six yards (21). In the second half, Pogba won the game when he picked up to the right of the box, cut inside two defenders and lashed in a left footed effort from outside the box into the far corner (65).
GOAL1: IVAN CAVALEIRO (Fulham) v Tottenham
Anguissa picked up the ball in midfield and played it wide to Robinson on the left touchline. He then fed a ball down the line to Lookman running across his marker, he took one touch inside, then turned Aurier back outside, then used his pace to get to the byline and whipped a superb left footed cross in for Cavaleiro, who rose majestically to beat Dier and head a powerful effort into the bottom corner of the net
GOAL2: PAUL POGBA (Man Utd) v Fulham
Midway though the second half, just by the right touchline, Pogba pulled the ball out the sky, and found himself just to the right of the box. He then cut inside one defender, then square past another, and as the ball rolled across him, just outside the box, he set himself before unleashing a powerful effort with his left foot, that curled into the far corner of the net to win the game.
FOOL: LIVERPOOL FC
Oh how the mighty have fallen. Its been a wretched week for the champions, losing at Southampton, missing the opportunity to close ground on Man Utd with a 0-0 at home, then losing their three year unbeaten home record against Burnley. It seems the last three years of effort and high quality has finally come to a head. But it really is crumbling badly and Klopp seems to be as clueless as his team, with his inability to change things or try something new in an attempt to kickstart their form. No win in fives games and no goals in their last four is a really sorry and embarrassing state of affairs for the same team who ripped the league last season. FOOLS!
