TEAM: MANCHESTER CITY
With most teams playing two games in a week, it was always going to be hard to pip Man City to this award as they storm their way though the Premier League on the way to what now and inevitably looks like another title. It was another two more wins, with goals coming from everywhere on the pitch. They first, narrowly beat West Ham, then after being frustrated by Wolves, they finally made their dominance pay with three late goals to make it a staggering 21 league wins in a row to go 14 points clear at the top of the table. Well done also to Tottenham, Arsenal, West Brom, Everton, Chelsea and Sheff Utd.
GOALKEEPER: JORDAN PICKFORD (Everton)
This one was touch and go, especially with teams playing two games in a week. However, although there were three keepers who claimed two clean sheets, the Everton keeper picked up a man of the match in one of them and was comfortable in the other. Two important 1-0 victories in a week has put Everton right in the Champions League hunt and with Pickford right on top of his game, anything is possible. Shout out also to Crystal Palace’s Guaita, Wolves’ Patricio, Tottenham’s Lloris, Leicester’s Schmeichel, WBA’S Johnstone, Villa’s Martinez, Man Utd’s Henderson, Sheff Utd’s Ramsdale and Fulham’s Areola.
DEFENDER: RUBAN DIAS (Manchester City)
It tells you so much about a top class player then he comes into an already star studded team of top players and makes an instant impact. Dias has come into to city with a lot of pressure on his back and fit in like a glove, so much so that he is making players such as Stones now look like the player everyone thought he would be, on top of that he got his first goal for the club with towering header. Well done also to his team mates Stones and Cancelo, WBA’S Bartley, Villa’s Mings, Wolves’ Coady, Man Utd’s Shaw, Chelsea’s Rudigar, Spurs’s Reguilon, Arsenal duo Mari & Luiz, Fulham duo Anderson 7 Adarabioyo, Palace duo Cahill & Kouyate, Sheff Utd’s Bryan, Leicester’s Ndidi and Newcastle’s Lascalles.
MIDFIELDER: N’GOLO KANTE (Chelsea)
It was two vintage perfomances in a week to remind the league the he is still very much a top class player. Although there were no goals, he was a ball of energy against Man Utd, running, making tackles, winning the ball and starting the attacks in a dominant midfield display. Then at Liverpool he was also at his best, protecting the back four, nullifying the supply line and being an all around destructive nuisance in the heat of midfield. Shout out also to his team mate Mount, Arsenal duo Willian & Pepe, Spurs trio Son, Moura & Bale, Man City’s De Bruyne, Wolves’ Neves, Villa’s El Ghazi, West Ham’s Lingard, Sheff Utd’s Fleck, Liverpool’s Jones, Newcastle’s Fraser
FORWARD: RICHARLISON (Everton)
Two game weeks in a row now, he really is hitting a rich vein of form, has now scored in his last four games and is loving life at the moment, you could say he is in the form of this life and what is good about him right now is he is scoring all kinds of goals which is helping Everton to look like real Champions League contenders. Well done also to Man City duo Jesus & Mahrez, Spurs’s Bale, Newcastle’s Saint-Maximim, Wolves duo Neto & Troare, Liverpool’s Firmino, Burnley’s Vydra, Sheff Utd;s McGoldrick and Leicester’s Iheanacho.
MANAGER: PEP GUARDIOLA (Man City)
Fair enough he has had the money to buy players and get the necessary resources in and often this is why I would side with another managers achievements, but to be on a 21 game winning streak is exceptional no matter who you are. For me its even more exception that against West Ham it was the first time he has played Aguero and De Bruyne in the same team for over a year. Naturally it says a lot about the players at his disposal but he still has to put these players in and keep them motivated and hungry to achieve so much.
UNSUNG HERO: GARY CAHILL (Crystal Palace)
Obviously its no secret that Palace has shipped goals this season, especially at home, however, although Palace have been faltering upfront, recently they have put is some solid performances with the experience of Cahill at the forefront. Naturally he has got some help from his team mates, namely Kayoute and Ward, but if was Cahill’s experience in being able to read the game, direct the marshal his team mates into position to earn two clean sheets in a week.
GAME1: LEICESTER 1-3 ARSENAL
Leicester were out the traps very early when Tielemans won the ball on the right touchline and ran towards goal, unappeased with Tierney unable to catch him, he ran all the way into the box the hit a a low effort across goal into the far corner (6). Arsenal the equalised when Willian swung in a corner from the right and Luiz powered in a header from the penalty spot (36). Arsenal then took the lead when Pepe’s shot struck Ndidi’s outstretched arm and VAR awarded a penalty to which Lacazette blasts home (45+2). In the second half Arsenal sealed the points when Pepe picked up the ball just inside the Leicester half and ran towards goal, he fed Smith-Rowe on the edge of the box, he pushed it to the right for William rushing in on goal, as Schmeichel came rushing out, Willian touched it past him for Pepe to tap into an empty net (52).
GAME2 MANCHESTER CITY 4-1 WOLVES
Man City opened the scoring when Rodri picked the ball up in midfield and played a cross field ball for Cancelo to run onto on the right, his low cross was turned into his own net by Dendoncker under pressure from Sterling rushing in (15). In the second half, massively against the run of play, Wolves got an equaliser when Moutinho curled over a free kick for Coady to dive in with a header which bounce in off the ground (61). With the game heading for a draw, City took the lead when Mahrez threaded a ball through for Cancelo to run onto, his low cross ricochet off a defender and Jesus was in the right place to swivel and slot home (82). City then got a third when Rodri robbed Otasowie in the box and fed Gundogan, who fed Sterling on the edge of the box, he was tackled but the ball fell to Mahrez to neatly slot into the far post (90). There was time still for a fourth when Gundogan’s shot from outside the box was parried and Jesus was on hand to tap home following a VAR confirmation.
GOAL1: GARETH BALE (Tottenham) v Burnley
Midway in the Spurs half by the left touchline, Son the Reguilon combined to release Son, he them charged into the Burnley half with Kane through the centre and Bale running down the right, Son then played and ball with the outside of the boot out to Bale, rushing in on goal. Just as he got the to edge of the box he took a touch to steady himself, then used the defender the curl the ball around him and in off the post.
GOAL2: KELECHI IHEANACHI (Leicester) v Burnley
Ndidi picked the ball up in the centre of the pitch jus inside the Burnley half, as he looked forward he waiting for the run the Iheanacho from fright to left just outside the box and chipped a ball over to him, as the ball fell over his shoulder, with the keeper coming out, he watched it all the way then connected with a left foot volley as the ball dropped to finish exquisitely past the keep into an empty net.
FOOL: JURGAN KLOPP (Liverpool)
Two weeks in a row now and not sure how many times for Liverpool as a whole. Not sure how happy people were when they beat bottom club Sheff Utd but Chelsea was always going to be the test and they failed miserably. After four home defeats in a row, scoring no goals you would expect Klopp to at least try something different but no, same old same old. Then to make it worse, after having the Premier League’s top scorer Salah stuck out on the right, he takes him off after an hour with Liverpool needing a goal. Needless to say Liverpool crashed to another home defeat, that’s five in a row without scoring but Klueless Klopp will no doubt play the same team with same tactics next game. FOOL!
