TEAM: CRYSTAL PALACE
This was a pretty tough one to call. I usually don’t edge it to teams who play a whole half against ten men, but Palace were already one up by time City lost a man.
In the second half, as we have already seen this season, it’s not exactly easy to play against 10 men, although it is a massive advantage. But I was impressed the way Palace held their nerve, defended well and continued to play football, which allowed them to get the second goal for a huge away win.
Well done also to Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea, Burnley, West Ham, Southampton, Leeds and Wolves.
GOALKEEPER: AARON RAMSDALE (Arsenal)
It was only going to be one goalkeeper this week. Not only for the unbelievable save of the season contender from Maddison’s free kick, but he did have a handful of other saves in the second half.
When Leicester were piling on the pressure trying to get back into the game. But his man of the match performance preserved a clean sheet and an excellent win for his team. Shout out also to Palace’s Guita and Southampton’s McCarthy.
DEFENDER: MATTHEW LOWTON (Burnley)
If he didn’t win this, he would have won the unsung hero award. A really consistent performer for Burnley regardless of the team’s form. Always provides bags of energy up and down the right flank, which pushed Brentford back throughout.
As good as he was defensively, he also provided an attacking threat with his ball for the first goal and scoring the second.
Well done also to his team mate Taylor, Southampton due Walker-Peters and Livramento, Man Utd’s Verane, Chelsea trio Christensen, Silva & Rudiger, Arsenal duo Gabriel & Tavares, Palace duo Guehi & Mitchell, Leeds’ Struijk, Norwich’s Omobamidele, Wolves’ Kilman and West Ham’s Johnson who was close to winning this.
MIDFIELDER: REECE JAMES (Chelsea)
He really fits Chelsea’s 352 formation and is a revelation at wing back. With his energy, speed, attacking threat and now goal scoring ability, he is a nightmare for anyone on the left flank and Newcastle just couldn’t handle him.
He bagged a goal last week and following it up with two well struck goals, one with his left and the other with his right for a very impressive performance.
Shout out to his team mates Hudson-Odoi & Jorginho, Southampton’s Ward-Prowse, Brighton’s Mwepu & Lallana, Palace duo McArthur & Gallagher, Arsenal’s Smith Rowe, West Ham duo Rice & Bowen, Brentford’s Ghoddos, Everton’s Iwobi, Leeds’ Raphinha and Wolves’s Ait-Nouri.
FORWARD: CRISTIANO RONALDO (Man Utd)
Right when he was on the verge of his longest spell without a goal, he stepped up just when his team and his manager needed him.
He showed a touch of class for a superb finish to open the scoring to set his team on their way after a disastrous week, he then created the second to more or less seal the game and was easily the man of the match.
Well done also to his team mate Cavani, Southampton’s Adams, Palace’s Zaha, Liverpool’s Mane, Brighton’s Troussard, Burnley duo Wood & Cornet. Leeds’ Rodrigo and Wolves’ Jimenez.
MANAGER: OLE GUNNER SOLSKJAER (Man Utd)
Although there were several really good candidates for this, credit where credit is due to Ole. He was no doubt under huge pressure after their mauling against Liverpool last week.
Big decisions needed to be made and they were. He decided to change his team’s formation, go with a 352 with more experience and it worked a treat. Although Spurs helped them by being so poor, Ole will say his team contributed to that as Spurs did not have one shot one goal.
Shout out also to Palace’s Viera and Arsenal’s Arteta.
UNSUNG HERO: DECLAN RICE (West Ham)
He is defiantly playing some of the best football of this career at present. Could have won this award several times already this season and was unlucky not to.
He seems to be improving with every game and becoming more of a leader every week. Covers every blade of grass, breaks of play superbly and not content with just that, is instrumental in moving the ball forward and starting attacks.
This week against Villa he showed he also now adding more goals to his game and really becoming a complete midfielder.
GAME: LIVERPOOL 2-2 BRIGHTON
After an early Brighton chance, Liverpool opened the scoring very early when Van Dijk played a cross field ball to Salah, who controlled just to the right of the box and touched back for Henderson to sweep home first time into the far corner (3).
Brighton then hit the post before Liverpool were then two up when Oxlade-Chamberlain played a ball into the box for Mane to head home at the far post (24).
Liverpool had a goal disallowed before Brighton pulled a goal back just before half time when March, on the right side of the box laid it back for Mwepu to curled an effort over Alisson from outside the box in (41).
In the second half, Brighton rescued a point when Cucurella picked up the ball on the left flank and played a neat ball inside to Lallana, who slipped a ball into the box for Trossard, who checked inside Robertson and beat Alisson at the near post (65).
Brighton then thought they won it but Trossards goal was ruled offside.
GOAL: CRISTIANO RONALDO (Man Utd) v Tottenham
As United attacked and Spurs tried to clear their lines. Maguire picked up the ball deep into the Spurs half.
He then played it left to Shaw, who touched it inside to Bruno Fernandes, who looked up and saw his compatriot making a run to the far post and dinked a ball over to him.
Davies jumped to header but was just out of reach and as the ball dropped, Ronaldo connected with picture perfect volley, that nestled into the far bottom corner.
FOOL: NUNO ESPIRITO SANTO (Tottenham)
It was as bad a performance you could wish to see from Spurs. What makes it worse is, they were playing a Man Utd team at home that were ripe for the picking after getting destroyed by Liverpool.
But Spurs were slow and tentative, the fact that Utd let in five last week but Spurs failed to have shot on goal in criminal.
To add to that, Kane looks a shadow of his former self and to rub salt in the wounds, he took off Lucas Moura when the Brazilian was looking like their best bet to get back into the game. A total shambles. FOOL!
