TEAM: ASTON VILLA
This was quite a close-run thing, especially as I usually reward a good away performance over a very good home one.
However, I somewhat went against my own rules to award Aston Villa this, due to the way they dismantled form team Southampton. Throughout the game they played some of their best football and were better in all areas of the pitch, so much so that 4-0 flattered the saints and it should have been more.
Well done also Man City, Crystal Palace, Brentford, Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle, Leicester also Tottenham & Chelsea who were both close to winning this.
GOALKEEPER: KASPER SCHMEICHEL (Leicester)
There were hardly any really good keeper performances this week bar one. Maybe it was a bit of a surprise considering how bad Leeds have been in recent weeks.
But Schmeichel was the only reason why they didn’t come away with something from Filbert Street, as they were the better team for large parts of the game, but found the Leicester man in inspired form.
Shout out also to Palace’s Guaita, Southampton’s Forster, Brentford’s Raya and West Ham’s Fabianski.
DEFENDER: THIAGO SILVA (Chelsea)
It’s amazing at the ripe old age of 37 he is still performing at the highest level and still to very high standards.
In the first half Burnley had much the better of the play, but he showed his experience and positioning to be in the right place at the right time to thwart Burnley.
All while looking cool and calm, which then allowed his team to go and dominate in the second half.
Well done also to Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold, Palace duo Anderson & Mitchell, Villa duo Cash & Chambers, Leicester’s Soyuncu, Leeds’ Dallas, Brighton’s Dunk, Man City’s Laporte, Spurs duo Davies and Dier also Newcastle’ Schar who was close to winning this.
MIDFIELDER: PHILIPPE COUTINHO (Aston Villa)
This was a real tough on to call. First, and to be fair he could have and should have had a hat-trick.
However, after missing a few early chances, it didn’t faze him and his maturity and quality shone through as he put Southampton, who were in form to the sword.
He had a field day in midfield with two assists in the first half then his goal in the second half for a man of the match performance.
Shout out also to his teammates Luiz and McGinn, Palace’s Schlupp, Newcastle’s Fraser, Spurs trio Sessegnon, Doherty and Kulusevski, Leicester’s Barnes, Man Utd’s Sancho, Arsenal trio Saka, Odegaard & Martinelli, Watford’s Sissoko, Chelsea’s Pulisic and James as well as De Bruyne who were both very close to winning this.
FORWARD: HARRY KANE (Tottenham)
I toiled a few times at this, and it was a real hard decision but in the end, the Spurs man who moved into sixth in the all-time Premier League scoring list takes it.
We all know about his finishes, although his two goals were still marvelled at. However, he is also showing more of a football brain with his dropping deep and creating assists for his team mates to help cut Everton apart.
Well done also to his teammate Son, Liverpool duo Mane & Diaz, Palace duo Zaha & Mateta, Watford’s Hernandez, Man City’s Mahrez, Brentford’s Toney, Villa duo Ings & Watkins, Norwich’s Pukki and Chelsea’s Havertz who was very close to winning this.
MANAGER: ANTONIO CONTE (Tottenham)
Again, I went back and forth a few times on this one, but I went with the Spurs man.
Not just for the result but how he has brought players such as Bentancur and especially Kulusevksi in who both have embedded into the team very well.
He stuck with the wing backs where Sessegnon and Doherty are starting to perform with the likes of Kane and Son renewing their formidable partnership to destroy Everton. Shout out also to Chelsea’s Tuchal and Villa’s Gerrard.
UNSUNG HERO: REECE JAMES (Chelsea)
This was another close-run thing as there were several candidates for this.
However, the Chelsea man was also close to winning the midfielder award, so it was only right he got this.
In his first start this year, he showed exactly what Chelsea had been missing with his marauding runs down the right, and superb quality for his goal which was excellently created and taken. He then also added an assist and was a menace all game.
GAME: WATFORD 2-3 ARSENAL
After Dennis saw his goal in the first 17 seconds ruled out for offside. Arsenal took the lead when Odegaard and Saka worked it down the right flank. Saka then cut the ball back from just outside the right of the box, for Odegaard who was running in to control and finish in the bottom corner with his left foot (5).
Watford were back level soon after when Dennis touched the ball down the right for the overlapping Kiko, his first time cross was expertly finished by Hernandez with a scissor kick volley (11).
Arsenal took the lead again when Saka did well to win the ball just outside the box, he then played it forward for Lacazette who rolled it back for Saka to lash a powerful first-time effort into the top corner (30).
In the second half Arsenal went further ahead from a superb move where Arteta helped to get the ball back for a quick throw on the right that saw Cedric play it inside to Odegaard who touched it first time to Lacazette on the edge of the box, he then laid it back for Martinelli to lash home from the edge of the box (52).
Watford got a late consolation when Hernandez from just inside the Arsenal half played a ball down for Sissoko to take on his chest in the box, touch past the defender then slide home past the on-rushing keeper (87).
GOAL: HERNANDEZ (Watford) v Arsenal
Sissoko went running down the right side with the ball, he then cut back and played it to Dennis, just outside the right corner of the box.
He delayed to wait for the overlapping run of Kiko and perfectly played a ball down the right for Kiko to put in a first time cross. As the ball came over, Hernandez set himself, then executed a perfect, scissor kick volley from near the penalty spot, back from where the ball came from into the bottom corner.
FOOL: EVERTON FC
It is saying a lot that this was a close one, considering how poor they have been but Man Utd can count themselves lucky not to be up here.
However, they are on a wretched run at the moment. Its seven defeats in their last eight games that sees them sitting precariously just a point above the relegation zone.
Although they do have games in hand, but you have to win those games and the way they got destroyed and capitulated at Spurs, you don’t know where their next win may come. FOOL!
