TEAM: MANCHESTER CITY
In a team with no Aguero, no De Bruyne and no Sterling, that conceding after just 20 seconds. Man City showed their squad depth and quality to turn that early mishap around in the first half, to go in at half time winning 2-1. When Stones got sent off just before half time, at a place where Liverpool lost 7-2, you were thinking City were going to be up against it, but in the second half they were the better team with more of the possession and played some lovely football to the point where you forgot they had a man less. Then after Cash got sent off in the 57th minute, it felt like City had a man advantage and the game just looked easy from then on. Well done also to Leicester, Newcastle, Tottenham, Man Utd and Wolves.
GOALKEEPER: ROBERT SANCHEZ (Brighton)
This week did not provide an abundance of good goalkeeper performances, but not many keepers go to Stamford Bridge and come away with a clean sheet, especially under their new manager. However, Brighton keeper, not that he had a lot to do but when he was called upon he was equal to whatever was thrown at him and was very vocal and commanding his box which also helped out his defenders. Shout out also to Tottenham’s Lloris, Leeds’ Meslier, Fulham’s Areola and Man City’s Ederson.
DEFENDER: JOACHIM ANDERSON (Fulham)
He really put in a captain’s performance at the Emirates, when you say things like defending for the cause, putting everything on the line, last ditch, leading by example, all describe his performance. Also, the one plus with these games with no fans is you can really hear how vocal players are and he was in constant communication and encouragement to his players. Was just unlucky his performance didn’t get the clean sheet and win it deserved. Well done also to his team mate Tosin, Man Utd duo Shaw & Wan-Bissaka, Leeds duo Llorente & Struijk, Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold, Brighton duo Webster & White, Leicester duo Castagne & Evans, Burnley’s Tarkowski, Everton’s Coleman, Man City trio Dias, Laporte & Zinchenko also Spurs’ Reguilon.
MIDFIELDER: PHIL FODEN (Man City)
Although, again there were not an abundance of good midfield performances, I dont think it would have made a difference as the Man City midfield maestro really shone. It seems every time he plays, he makes an impact and more often then not, comes up with vital contributions and it was no different in this game. He was influential on the ball, it was his trickery that bamboozled and frustrated Cash into two yellow cards in three minutes and he seems to improve with every game and play football mature beyond his years. Shout out also to his team mates Rodri & B.Silva, Everton’s Sigurdsson, Man Utd’s Rashford, West Ham’s Lingard, Villa’s McGinn, Newcastle’s Willock and Spurs duo Bale & Son.
FORWARD: HARRY KANE (Tottenham)
There is just no doubting his striking ability. Against Everton Kane had two chances, two shots and two devastating finishes. The fact that both the chances came from Everton defensive mistakes and Kane’s strikes were opportunistic, split second strikes, which were clinical to become only the fourth player in Premier league history to hit 20 goals in five different seasons. Its just sad he went off late in the game with an injury as Spurs will always miss him. Well done also to Leicester duo Vardy & Iheanacho, Wolves duo Traore & Jose, Newcastle duo Saint-Maximin & Joelinton, Southampton’s Ings, Liverpool’s Mane, Arsenal’s Nketiah and Man Utd duo Greenwood and Cavani.
MANAGER: RYAN MASON (Tottenham)
Thrust into the limelight unexpectedly, with minimal time to prepare. His first game in charge didn’t start too well, with Southampton taking the lead and going in at half time one up. His very first, half time team talk must have gone down a treat as Spurs came out in the second half and really went for it. They got their rewards by getting an equaliser, then they got a last minute penalty winner for a dramatic debut win. With the win he did something in his very first game that Mourinho hadn’t done all season which was win a game coming from behind. Shout out also to Man City’s Guardiola and Leicester’s Rodgers.
UNSUNG HERO: JOE WILLOCK (Newcastle)
Not exactly unsung but I thought he deserved a mention. On loan from Arsenal to the complete other side of the country, must not be easy for a young man still trying to make his way in the league. However, two games ago he came off the bench to salvage a point against Spurs. This week, he comes off the bench to get a vital winner to spare his teams blushed after they were penned back by 10 men West Ham.
GAME: NEWCASTLE 3-2 WEST HAM
The game took an early turn when Dawson lost control of the ball in his own half, then recklessly fouled Joelinton, the ball then ricochet to Saint-Maximin, who ran at the defenders into the box and his reverse soft shot wrong footed the keeper and as Diop tried to stop the ball he managed to bundle it over the line (36) in the aftermath the ref went back and sent Dawson off for dangerous play. Newcastle then got a second when Fabianski dropped a corner virtually on the line and Joelinton was on hand to tap home (41). In the second half West Ham surprisingly were the better team and pulled a goal back when Bowen swung a ball in for Diop to head home (73). West Ham then equalised when VAR spotted Clark had used his arm in a challenge and urged the ref to take a look, he did and pointed to the spot, which Lingard coolly slotted in off the post (80). However, two minutes later, just after Newcastle had a shot blocked on the line, saved on the line, the ball went back down the left for Richie to cross in for Willock to power a header home for the winner (82).
GOAL: MASON GREENWOOD (Man Utd) v Burnley
Shaw picked up the ball in his own half and played a short ball down the left into the Burnley half for Rashford, he then drove at the Burnley defender, nutmegging him down the line, then ran to the edge of the box, where he played a square ball for Fernandes. He sold two Burnley defenders with a wonderful dummy, by letting the ball run though his legs, for Greenwood to come in on his left foot and lash a first time effort home.
FOOL: MATTY CASH (Aston Villa)
Unlike other categories this week, there were an abundance of contenders for this one. Dawson, Fabianski, Sheff Utd, Stones and White, but it goes to the Aston Villa man. Although City were doing well with 10 men, Villa still had the man advantage and i’m sure as the game got further into the second half, that extra man could have paid. However, after Cash got a yellow card in the 54th minute, naturally you would think to take it easy for a while and not do anything silly, but no, just three minutes later, he puts in another reckless challenge to get his marching order with a second yellow to totally extinguish their huge advantage and virtually concede the game in 3 minutes of madness. FOOL!
