TEAM: BRIGHTON
Playing twice this week could have gone against them, especially as they recorded their biggest win in the topflight on the weekend at home against Wolves.
Naturally buoyant going into the midweek game against Man Utd, they were the better team for much of the game but did not have the same shooting boots as they did against Wolves.
However, they got their deserved rewards with a late penalty to win the game and record three successive league wins against United. Well done also to Liverpool. Man City. Bournemouth. Arsenal. Newcastle. Crystal Palace and Brentford.
GOALKEEPER: DANIEL IVERSEN (Leicester)
Although he was beaten twice, it could have been much worse for Leicester if it wasn’t for their goalkeeper.
It took a penalty to beat him for the first and a good second finish, but Everton had better chances and came away from the game thinking how they did not win, even though Leicester missed a penalty.
Shout out also to Liverpool’s Alisson. Bournemouth’s Neto. Everton’s Pickford. Fulham’s Leno. Brighton’s Steele and Man Utd’s De Gea.
DEFENDER: TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD (Liverpool)
I tried not to involve him in this for the past few weeks as most of what he is doing well is in midfield.
However, he is still playing at right back. Although it seems to be putting a bit more of a strain on his central defenders, he has shown he can get back and defend, especially against Fulham, where Liverpool didn’t have it all their way.
That said, going forward, he has been a revelation, dictating play, picking passes, and has recorded five assists in his last five games. Well done also to his teammate Konate. Brighton duo Dunk & Estupinan. Brentford’s Pinnock. Man Utd duo Lindelof & Wan-Bissaka. Man City duo Ake & Akanji. West Ham’s Aguerd. Leicester’s Soyuncu. Everton’s Tarkowski. Arsenal’s Kiwior.
MIDFIELDER: JEFFERSON LERMA (Bournemouth)
He scored two important goals in his team’s comfortable home win against Leeds and has developed a reliable midfield partnership with Billing, where they look to have steered their team away from relegation. His work goes unnoticed as others get the plaudits, but he has been a stalwart in midfield and now weighing in with a few goals which could be invaluable to his team’s survival. Shout out also to Brighton trio Gross, Undev and Enciso. Forest’s Danilo. Liverpool’s Jones. Man Utd’s Fernandes. Man City’s Grealish & Rodri. West Ham’s Soucek. Palace duo Schlupp & Eze. Brentford’s Da Silva. Leicester’s Iwobi and Arsenal’s Odegaard who was close to winning this.
FORWARD: ERLING HAALAND (Manchester City)
Although it was only two goals in the two games this week, and one was a penalty. This was more the culmination of the season and breaking the Premier League scoring record.
The goal that broke the record was in typical fashion. Not exactly in the game, then received the ball a bit of space, and finished expertly with all the class we have come to expect.
Well done also to his teammates Mahrez and Alvarez. Liverpool foursome Salah, Jota, Gakpo & Diaz. Spurs trio Kane, Son & Richarlison. Everton’s Calvert-Lewin. Leicester’s Vardy. Brentford’s Toney. Arsenal’s Jesus. West Ham’s Antonio. Fulham’s Vinicius, Southampton’s Armstrong, Leeds’ Bamford. Bournemouth trio Solanke, Outtara and Samenyo. Chelsea’s Maduake. Palace duo Ayew and Zaha.
MANAGER: ROBERTO DE ZERBI (Brighton)
He has led his team superbly this season, and they have even kicked on a notch from Potter’s Brighton.
De Zerbi’s changed his team, leaving his star men on the bench at the weekend, and they still hit Wolves for six. They then put in an equally dominant performance against Man Utd, albeit winning by a late penalty.
However, what is more, important is not only have they done it throughout the season, but they are turning in top performances at the tail end of the season. Shout out also to Man City’s Guardiola. Liverpool’s Klopp and Bournemouth’s O’Neil.
UNSUNG HERO: CALLUM WILSON (Newcastle)
Although he was playing against the bottom club, it’s the fact that, whether he is coming off the bench one week or starting the next.
His consistency in putting in top performances, and ultimately scoring goals is unmatched. He is proving to be an elite Premier League striker. He started this week and scored two against Southampton in typical fashion to make it 15 goals for the season as Newcastle’s top scorer.
Well done also to Brighton duo Gross & Undev. Man City duo Stones & Ake. Liverpool duo Jones & Alexander-Arnold. Also,
GAME: LIVERPOOL 4-3 TOTTENHAM
Liverpool scored early when Alexander-Arnold’s cross from just outside the right corner of the box found Jones at the far post, who side-foot volleyed home from a few yards (3).
They were two up in no time when Salah fed Gakpo on the inside channel of the box, and his pullback from the byline was finished at the near post by Diaz as he stretched to volley home (5).
It was then three when Gapko was hacked down by Romero just inside the box, and Salah made no mistake from the spot (15). Spurs then got a lifeline when Perisic ran onto a searching ball towards the left side of the box.
He tricked Van Dijk, leaving him on the floor before crossing for Kane to volley home (39). In the second half, Spurs hit the post twice before pulling another goal back when Romero threaded a ball through for Son to run onto and slip past Alisson (77).
Spurs thought they got a point in stoppage time when Perisic’s free-kick from the left, was bravely flicked in by Richarlison (90+3).
However, 90 seconds later, a long ball was played up field, which Lucas Mora’s volleyed pass back was latched onto by Jota in the left side of the box, who steadied himself and finished with a low left-footed effort into the bottom far corner (90+4).
There was also a good game at Selhurst Park, where Palace beat West Ham 4-3.
GOAL: JULIAN ALVAREZ (Manchester City) v Fulham
Rodri picked up a loose ball in midfield and played it forward to Mahrez. He then touched it forward to Alvarez running towards goal.
He fainted to shoot but rolled the ball back with his studs, taking three Fulham players out of the game. Then took a touch out his feet, and from about 20 yards, hit a tremendous effort from right to left that sailed over the keeper and into to top far corner.
There were also good goals from Brighton duo Gross & Undev.
FOOL: WOLVES FC
The likes of Lampard and Chelsea, also Leeds’ can count themselves lucky as they could easily be up here for continuing their abysmal runs.
As well as Leicester’s Maddison for the missed penalty. However, the Wolves team can hang their heads in shame as manager Lopetegui, who must also take some blame, stated it was the worst performance he had seen, not just from his Wolves’ team all season but from any team he has managed in his career.
That’s how bad they were, and for any professional side, let alone one that’s getting paid a handsome amount of money to play football in the Premier League.
To look like they just gave up halfway through a game was a cardinal sin, and I hope the club refunded all the travelling fans for that horror show. Fools!
