TEAM: LIVERPOOL
Three teams recored two wins in a week but after a wretched 2021 with no wins and no goals, the champions takes it as they burst back into life with back to back away wins in London. Both victories showed indications of them being back to their absolute best, playing scintillating pass and move football and scoring superb goals, especially at West Ham. The wins move them back up to third and within touching distance just at the right time. Well done also to Man City, Leeds and Sheff Utd.
GOALKEEPER: ROBERT SANCHEZ (Brighton)
There were only three goalkeepers to get two clean sheets in a week but out of those three, the Brighton keeper faced the most shots. Although some had better individual perfomances, in both the games he had to make telling stops, to preserved what was a point against Wolves and a very good three points against Tottenham. Shout out also to Chelsea’s Mendy, Man City’s Ederson, Arsenal’s Leno, Villa’s Martinez, Leeds’s Messlier, Newcastle’s Darlow and Sheff Utd’s Ramsdale.
DEFENDER: JORDAN HENDERSON (Liverpool)
With Liverpool’s injury crises in defence, the skipper really had to step up and play a captains role. After a terrible few weeks of the new year, many were nervous going into the two away games in London with Henderson playing CB. In the two games he had two different CB partners but at no time did he look out of place, unsure or was found wanting Shout out also to his team mates Phillips who was close to winning this and Alexander-Arnold, Man City duo Cancelo & Dias, West Ham’s Dawson, WBA’s Bartley, Brighton’s Dunk, Burnley’s Mee, Man Utd’s Maguire, Villa duo Cash & Konsa, Arsenal duo Cedric & Luiz, Chelsea’s Azpilicueta also Sheff Utd trio Ampadu, Basham & Jakielka who was also close to winning this.
MIDFIELDER: JACK HARRISON (Leeds)
He was the only midfielder to bag goals in both games this week, if he did not pick up this award, he would have got the unsung hero award. He puts in a tremendous amount of running each game, can both put his foot in and pick a pass, makes contributions at both ends of the pitch and as you have seen this week he is very much a scoring midfielder and knows where the goal is. Well done also to his team mate Raphina, Man City duo Fernandinho & Gundogan, Arsenal trio Pepe, Saka & Xhaka, West Ham’s Soucek, Burnley’s McNeil, Sheff Utd trio Byran, Burke & Fleck Leicester’s Tielemans, Villa’s Grealish, Palalce’s Eze, Newcastle’s Almiron, Liverpool’s Wijnaldum, Chelsea duo Alonso & Hudson-Odoi, WBA’s Reid & Brighton’s Gross.
FORWARD: MO SALAH (Liverpool)
This was a real tough one as no striker had two really good games this week but many had one. However, Salah being robbed of a goal against Spurs due to a earlier handball was the closest a striker came to scoring in both games this week, as his two superb goals against West Ham moves him three clear at the top of the scoring charts and makes it 21 already for the season making him only the fifth player in Liverpool’s history to score 20 goals in four consecutive seasons. Shout out also to his team mates Mane & Firmino. Man City trio Mahrez, Sterling & Jesus, Newcastle’s Wilson, Leeds’s Bamford, Palace’s Zaha, Everton’s Rodriguez, Burnley’s Wood, Villa’s Watkins, WBA duo Peiriera & Diagne, Fulham’s Cavaleiro and Brighton’s Trossard.
MANAGER: JURGAN KLOPP (Liverpool)
After what seemed to be a crises for the first three weeks of the year, he really had to dig deep with his team and find something to go to London and get two back to back away victories. Against Spurs there seemed to be no sign of they recent. bad form and dominated the north London outfit with and without the ball. They then went to West Ham and after making a few changes and a stalemate first half, he brought on young Jones who created the first goal for Salah, from there Liverpool went on to score two brilliant goals to win the game. Well done also to Chris Wilder and Marcelo Bielsa.
UNSUNG HERO: GEORGINIO WIJNALDUM (Liverpool)
This might be slightly bias but I call him the iron man. Not because he is a big, tough, hard bloke who flies into challenges. But because he generally plays every minute of games, rarely gets injured, runs from the first whistle to the last, is always available to receive the ball, is superb at supporting his team mates and winning the ball back and can get on the score sheet now and again. He does a lot of the ugly unnoticed work for the team. He is truly an unsung hero and I truly believe Liverpool will miss him if he leaves at the end of the season.
GAME1: BURNLEY 3-2 ASTON VILLA
Aston Villa took an early lead when McGinn found Grealish on the left, he ran to the box then played Targett in down the left and his low cross was turned in by Watkins with a depth touch running across the six yard box (14). Barkley then hit the bar with a volley. In the second half, Burnley equalised when he rose highest at the far post to power in Westwood’s corner (52). Villa then went ahead when McGuinn found Grealish just outside the box, he then played it wide to Luiz on the right and his ball in was finished by Grealish first time, sliding in (68). Burnley then equalised again when McNeil’s low cross come shot from the left corner of the box, crept inside the far post (76). Only a few minutes later Burnley won the game when McNeil swung a ball in from the left for Wood to expertly nod in a header, at the far post to beat the keeper off the bounce, off the post (79)
GAME2 WEST BROM 2-2 FULHAM
In what was expected to be a tight six pointer, the away team took an early lead when Lookman picked up the ball on the left just on the half way line, cut inside and played the ball up to Mitrovic, who took it down well on his chest, then played a ball between two defenders into the box for Reid to run onto and side foot home (10). Reid then ran through for a second but hit the post. In the second half, WBA equalised when Pereira swung a ball in from the left which took. deflection and fell invitingly in the path for Bartley side foot home from six yards (47). WBA then took the lead when sub Diagne was played in on the right and his first time, low cross was turned in by Pereira (66). Fulham then got a equaliser when deep from the right touchline, Reed swung a ball into the box for Cavaleiro to come running in at the far post to stoop and head in (77).
GOAL1: PIERRE-EMILE HOEJBJERG (Tottenham) v Liverpool
Lamella picked up the ball in midfield, turned and played the ball left to Bergwijn. He travelled with the ball to just inside the left corner unchallenged, cut back the rolled a ball across the edge of the box for the onrushing Hoejbjerg, who ran up and unleashed a powerful, unstoppable first time effort, cutting across the box the swerved away from the keeper and flew into the far corner of the net.
GOAL2: MO SALAH (2nd) v West Ham
West Ham had a corner on the right that was swung into the box and header out my Jones. The ball fell to Alexander-Arnold with a string of Liverpool players bursting forward, Alexander-Arnold strolled forward and played a ball to the far left for the on rushing Shaqiri. He then looked up and as Salah was bursting through the middle he played a first time, high curling ball into the box, without breaking stride, inside the box, Salah controlled the ball once with his right and as the keeper came out, calmly slotted the ball past him with the outside of his left boot.
FOOL: TOTTENHAM FC
If it was Liverpool last week, its certainly Spurs this week. Two defeats in a week sees Mourinho’s men slipping further away from the top four. Against a Liverpool team struggling with no win or goals this year, they failed to take the initiative at home and take the game to them, instead allowing Liverpool to play and got beaten all ends up. Then with a chance at a reprieve, they went to Brighton who have not won at home in the league for 11 months, again, instead of taking the initiative, they allowed Brighton to out play them for a first home win since last February. FOOLS!
