TEAM: ASTON VILLA
In this crazy season of Premier League football, Villa has really typified what this season has been like. On their day they have been superb, but at times you just dont know what you going to get. On week very good, then not so the week after. However, still missing Grealish, they were on the good side this week as they went to Everton, played very well and turned them over with a late goal after Everton penned them back in the first half, for a very important win in their quest for European football. Well done also to Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea, Man City, Southampton and Brighton who was close to winning this.
GOALKEEPER: SAM JOHNSTONE (West Brom)
There wasn’t many outstanding goalkeeper performances this week, but there were one or two that caught the eye. One such was the WBA keeper, who really did as much as he could to help his team. Wolves had a whopping ten shots on target and only scored one, this was down the to Johnstone, where on several occasions but two in particular he pulled off superb saves, where you thought Wolves were certain to score. It was just unfortunate his team didn’t get the win. Shout out also to Man City’s Ederson, Southampton’s McCarthy, Chelsea’s Mendy and Everton’s Pickford.
DEFENDER: KYLE WALKER-PETERS (Southampton)
How can you ignore a situation where a team lost 9-0 in this same fixtures less than 18 months ago, and it was threatening to happen again after going down to 10 men after just 10 minutes. However, although the team as a whole played well, I was really impressed with Walker-Peters, who not only performed well and was solid in defence, but he was fearless going forward and seemed to have endless energy to help his team and constantly push Leicester back all game. Well done also to his team mates Bednarek, Stephens & Salisu, Villa duo Targett & Konsa, Everton duo Digne & Coleman, Leicester’s Evans, West Ham’s Coufal, Man City duo Cancelo & Mendy, Brighton duo Burn and Dunk as well as Tottenham’s Aurier who were both close to winning this.
MIDFIELDER: GARETH BALE (Tottenham)
Obviously this was a no brainer. This was the type of performance Spurs brought Bale back for and sadly its not happened enough since he returned in January. However. his hat-trick showed every bit of ability he has in his locker, from his lovely anticipation, movement, awareness and cute finish for the first. His pace and running with the ball along with a devastating finish for the second and a clinical, pinpoint first time finish for the hat-trick. Shout out also to his team mate Son, Wolves duo Vitinha & Otasowie, Arsenal duo Elnany & Martinelli, Brighton duo Gross & Bissouma, Chelsea’s Mount, Villa duo El Ghazi & Traore, Southampton’s Ward-Prowse and WBA’s Townsend.
FORWARD: KAI HAVERTZ (Chelsea)
It’s taken a while and i’m sure he knows he still has a long way to go but he definitely showed what he is capable of in this game. A combination of intelligence, movement off the ball, close control and clinical finishing was all on show in his two goals in the West London derby, where he really seemed to enjoy himself and was full of running and link up play, where if his team mates had better finishing, he could have had an assist to his name. Well done also to Aston Villa’s Watkins, Arsenal’s Aubameyang, Brighton’s Welbeck, Man City duo Aguero & Torres, Everton’s Calvert-Lewin, WBA’s Diagne, Burnley’s Wood and West Ham’s Antonio who was close to winning this.
MANAGER: RALPH HASENHUTTL (Southampton)
Even at 11 vs 11, as I stated previously, after losing 9-0 in this same fixture, it was going to be tough regardless, but to go down to 10 men after just 10 minutes, it was looking like it was going to be another massacre. But Hassenhuttl did not panic, he made an early sub then let his team play, and play the did. Against a Leicester side who had been flying, they nullified their attack and even took the lead in the second half. However, when Leicester equalised just seven minutes later, you were expecting them to go on and get more but Southampton held firm for a morale boosting point.
UNSUNG HERO: MICHAIL ANTONIO (West Ham)
Obviously not unsung, but it was a very welcomed return to the team and as per usual, he showed exactly what his team has been missing. You know exactly what you will get from him, even in his first game back from injury. Heart, desire, endless running, energy, physicality and a contestant goal threat. He showed his strength to power in a header for his first, then showed his movement and a depth touch to get his second. He could have and should have got a hat-trick but his two goals were enough to win the game.
GAME: EVERTON 1-2 ASTON VILLA
Aston Villa opened the scoring early when Watkins persistence paid off as he chased down Holgate who hesitated on the ball and tried to turn back towards goal. Watkins blocked the pass back, beat Holgate to the ball just outside the box, Holgate tried to make a desperate last ditch tackle where both players fell to the ground but Watkins quickly got up and fired low, past Pickford rushing out, into the far corner (13). However, Everton got an equaliser when Digne swung over a corner from the right and Calvert-Lewin rose highest at the far post to head home (19). There were several chances either end including Villa hitting the woodwork twice but the significant moment of the game came with 10 minutes to go when Traore picked up the ball on the right and ran towards goal, he played a ball left to El Ghazi just outside the box who, checked back onto his right foot, set himself and curled a lovely effort into the far corner to win the game (80).
GOAL: SERGIO AGUERO (Man City) v Crystal Palace
The ball was played along the back line from right to left where Laporte picked it up and strolled into the Palace half. He then played a ball down the left for Mendy, who controlled the ball on the left touchline, took a touch, looked up and fired a low ball into the box. This found Aguero running in, who killed the ball with a superb depth touch, then as the ball bounced, fired an unstoppable volley on the run, into the roof of the net.
FOOL: EVERTON FC
As I stated with Aston Villa, Everton have also really typified the season. They have been really inconsistent and unpredictable. They’ve had some really good results and perfomances, then when you least expect it, they seem to falter. Its funny because all things considered, Everton have had a decent season under Ancelotti. However, every time they threaten get into the European places, they seem to choke. They have been on the brink for a number of months, with games in hand on the teams above them, however, with just one win in their last seven games and another defeat this week at home to Villa, they again missed their opportunity. Now all of a sudden, they have no more games in hand, still out the European places and a good season is threatening to be another disappointing one if they continue to choke under pressure. FOOLS
