TEAM: SOUTHAMPTON
After losing at home to ten men and being a fool of the week last week, to beating the free-spending, multi-billion team in their home stadium this week.
It has been some week for the bottom club, who know they still have a lot of work to do. But with this inspiring win, they showed they have the character and ability to turn things around as they showed heart, fight, desire, and that bit of quality when it was needed to stun Chelsea at home.
Well done also to Fulham. Arsenal. Man Utd. Tottenham. Liverpool. Bournemouth. Everton.
GOALKEEPER: ALISSON (Liverpool)
You never would have guessed if you started watching the game midway through the second half that Liverpool had an extra man extra.
You have to give Newcastle credit as, despite being a man down and two goals down, they continued to attack and pushed Liverpool back.
They were better for the majority and had chances to get back into the game, but were thwarted on several occasions by the brilliance of the Liverpool keeper.
Shout out also to Southampton’s Bazunu. Bournemouth’s Neto. Man Utd’s De Gea. Forest’s Navas and Fulham’s Leno who was close to winning this.
DEFENDER: JOE WORRALL (Notts Forest)
This was a close one. Although Forest had been on a run of five home games without defeat, you were still expecting City to win.
However, the forest centre back was at the heart of solid and stern Forest defence. He literally put his body on the line for the cause.
Even when City went ahead, he spearheaded the fight and thwarted City, which eventually allowed them to get a surprise and a very credible point against the champions.
Well done also to his teammate Felipe. Southampton foursome Maitland-Niles. Bednarek. Kotchap & Perraud. Liverpool duo Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk. Bournemouth duo Stephens & Senesi. Newcastle’s Burn. Arsenal’s Zinchenko. Fulham duo Tete & Ream. Everton’s Coleman and Palace’s Anderson.
MIDFIELDER: JAMES WARD-PROWSE (Southampton)
Not only did he score the winner with a fantastic, and now trademark free kick to put him second to Beckham by one goal for free-kick goals in the Premier League.
He led by example in his work ethic and defensive work with endless running, tracking back, making blocks and tackles to help his team to a shock, but very much needed away win at Chelsea in a real captain and man-of-the-match performance.
Shout out also to his teammate Lavia. Arsenal’s Jorginho. Liverpool’s Bajcetic. Bournemouth’s Tavernier. Forest’s Gibbs-White. Everton’s Gueye. Palace’s Eze. Brentford’s Janelt. Villa’s Coutinho. Man City’s B.Silva. Spurs duo Royal & Davies and Man Utd duo Sancho & Fernandes.
FORWARD: MARCUS RASHFORD (Man Utd)
Two weeks in a row now. It has now got to the stage where you will be surprised if he did not score such is his form.
His consistency has been amazing, and he is looking like a top-class performer. This was all on show in his two goals with his off-the-ball movement, the way he looked settled and composed approaching the goal, and of course, above all, his clinical finishing. Leicester had no answer for him.
Well done also to Liverpool trio Nunes, Gakpo and Salah. Arsenal duo Saka & Martinelli. Villa’s Watkins. Forest’s Wood. Fulham’s Soloman. Newcastle’s Saint-Maximin and Spurs’ Son
MANAGER: RUBEN SELLES (Southampton)
This was probably the toughest decision yet. There were several candidates worthy. Although teams invariably respond when a manager’s been sacked.
Not even the most die-hard Saints fans were expecting a result like this. The fact that he managed to get the players up from last week, to playing that they believed this week was an achievement in itself.
Then to go out and execute a game plan at Stamford Bridge, albeit helped by some poor finished and below-par play from Chelsea, but to come away with a win after last week was nothing short of a miracle.
Shout out also to Bournemouth O’Neil. Arsenal’s Arteta. Fulham’s Silva and Forest’s Cooper.
UNSUNG HERO: BERND LENO (Fulham)
It may have gone under the radar, as his team has been doing so well this season, but he has been one of the best keepers in the league, and after his time at Arsenal, you may not have predicted that.
However, he has been a big reason Fulham have done so well with a string of fine performances. Another this week at a place where a few of the top six teams have lost.
So keeping a clean sheet with a man-of-the-match performance explains how well he played and is playing this season.
Well done also to Liverpool’s Bajcetic. Brighton’s Soloman and Bournemouth’s Tavernier.
GAME: ASTON VILLA 2-4 ARSENAL
Villa took a shock early lead when Cash won the ball from Zinchenko by the right touchline and galloped forward before playing a diagonal ball for Watkins.
He sized up Saliba on the left, dropped his shoulder and hit a low effort into the far bottom corner (5). Arsenal equalised when White’s cross from the right, was headed down by Mings at the near post.
But Saka was on hand to rifle home a first-time shot into the roof of the net (16). Villa then went ahead with a superb move. Kamara & Coutinho exchanged passes in the middle. Then Kamara slipped a ball in the left channel for Moreno, and his first-time low cross was dummied by Buendia for Coutinho, to control and sweep home inside the near post (31).
In the second half, Arsenal equalised from a short corner on the right. Odegaard played it out to Zinchenko, and his first-time effort from just outside the box fizzed inside the near post bottom corner (61).
There were several chances for both teams. However, just as the game was heading for a draw, Arsenal won it when Martinelli, on the left, played a ball back for Jorginho in acres of space just outside the box, and his first-time effort came back off the bar, hit Martinez on the head and bounced in (90+3).
There was still time for a fourth when Martinez went up for a Villa corner. When Arsenal cleared. Vieira played it through for Martinelli to run into an empty net (90+8).
GOAL: COUTINHO (Aston Villa) v Arsenal
Kamara picked up the ball in the middle of the park and played a ball for Coutinho with his back to the goal, who then played it left to Kamara.
He then surged forward a threaded a lovely ball down the inside left channel for Moreno to run onto the play a first time, low, across the box.
Buendia intelligently jumped over the ball, which fooled Xhaka, making the ball go through his legs. The ball then ran to Coutinho, who controlled just inside the box and coolly stuck home inside the near post, sending the keeper the wrong way.
There were also good goals from Southampton’s Ward-Prowse. and Man City’s B.Silva.
FOOL: GRAHAM POTTER (Chelsea)
What is there to say that has not already been said on social media? I mean, you cannot spend over half a billion in six months and record one win in your last 10 games.
What is worse, you just cannot lose at home to the bottom club, a team who lost at home to 10 men last week.
There are no excuses for this abysmal showing, and understandably the sharks are circling. FOOL!
