TEAM: MANCHESTER CITY
Two very comfortable back-to-back away victories in four days have put them in pole position for an unprecedented fourth Premier League title in a row.
In both games, they had somewhat of a rocky start but demonstrated their quality by brushing Fulham aside with a four-goal blitz. Then at Spurs, although they had to ride a few nervy moments, sealed the victory to go top by two points with a game to go.
Well done also to Chelsea. Arsenal. Crystal Palace. Brentford. West Ham and Everton.
GOALKEEPER: BART VERBRUGGEN (Brighton)
Although his team did not get a win in the two games this week, his performance, especially at Newcastle, helped to earn a point.
In the games against Newcastle and a losing effort at Chelsea, his goal was peppered, but he did well to concede just three goals as he was highly overworked.
Well done also to Luton’s Kaminski. Burnely’ Muric. Palace’s Henderson Man Utd’s Onana, and Man City’s Ortega.
DEFENDER: WILLIAM SALIBA (Arsenal)
He has arguably been the best-performing defender this season. Arsenal’s defensive stats speak for themselves, with him at the forefront.
Although Man Utd were missing some key players, it was another stroll in the park for him, and it felt like United could play for another week and still wouldn’t score with him at the back.
Well done also to his teammates White, Gabriel & Tomiyasu. Spurs trio Porro, Van de Ven & Dragusin. Chelsea duo Gusto & Cucurella.
Liverpool’s Quansah. Palaces’ Clyne. Newcastle’s Hall. Brighton’s Veltman. Also, Man City’s Gvardiol was close to winning this.
MIDFIELDER: COLE PALMER (Chelsea)
In two games in five days, he played a pivotal role for Chelsea, as he has all season in their quest for European football.
He assisted one in a man-of-the-match performance at Forest. At Brighton, he opened the scoring with a fine, headed finish to put him second in the goal-scoring charts, help his team to four wins in a row and go sixth in the table.
Shout out also to his teammates Caicedo, Mudryk and Sterling. Forest’s Hudson-Odoi. West Ham’s Kudus, Bowen, Ward-Prowse & Soucek. Burnley duo Berge & Larsen. Man City duo Foden & De Bruyne.
Man Utd duo Mainoo & Diallo. Everton’s Doucoure. Luton’s Lakonga. Newcastle’s Longstaff. Villa duo Tielemans and Duran who was close to winning this.
FORWARD: MICHAEL OLISE (Crystal Palace)
He has been in blistering form in the last few weeks with another man-of-the-match performance to help his team to another win and more goals.
Instrumental in Palace’s second goal. He scored the first and assisted the third to make it four goals and two assists in the seven games back from injury.
Well done also to his teammate Mateta and Eze. Man City duo Haaland & Alvarez. Brentford duo Wissa & Mbuemo. Chelsea duo Jackson & Nakunku. Arsenal’s Trossard. West Ham’s Earthy.
Wolves’ Cunha. Liverpool’s Gakpo. Everton’s Calvert-Lewin. Bournemouth’s Solanke. Newcastle’s Gordon. Man Utd’s Hojlund and Brighton’s Welbeck.
MANAGER: PEP GUARDIOLA (Man City)
No matter the circumstances, his team always seem to manage it with minimal fuss and no nerves.
In both games this week, they navigated what could have been two tricky away games to notch six goals with none conceded. This made it nine league wins in a row to put them on the brink of history.
Shout out also to Chelsea’s Pochettino. Arsenal’s Arteta. Palace’s Glasner and Brentford’s Frank,
UNSUNG HERO: JOSKO GVARDIOL (Man City)
He arrived as a centre-back, has been adopted as a left-back, been playing more like a left winger and has recently been scoring like a striker.
Don’t get me wrong, you get what you pay for, and at just 22 years of age, he already seems to be worth every bit of his massive price tag, with four goals in his last eight games at the business end of the season.
Well done also to Spurs’ Van de Ven. Villa’s Duran. West Ham’s Earthy. Man Utd’s Diallo and Man City’s Ortega.
GAME: NOTTS FOREST 2-3 CHELSEA
Chelsea took the lead early in the game when Palmer threaded a lovely ball down the inside left channel for Mudryk to run onto and cut inside to finish with his right foot (8).
Forest was soon level when Boly nodded in Gibbs-White’s free-kick at the near post (16).
In the second half Forest failed to take the lead when Gibbs-White hit the post, and Wood missed from two yards out.
Chelsea then hit the post from Silva’s header. Hudson-Odoi hit the bar before he was played in by Gibbs-White, to cut inside and curl a lovely effort inside the far post (74).
Sterling then equalised when he cut inside on the left and curled a beauty inside the far post (80). However, two minutes later, Chelsea won it when James’ excellent first-time cross from the right was headed in by Jackson (82).
There was also a good game at Villa Park where Aston Villa drew 3-3 with Liverpool.
GOAL: TOMAS SOUCEK (West Ham) vs Luton
A cross was swung in from the right and defended by a Luton player, who cleared the ball to the edge of the box.
The ball then fell to Soucek, who was waiting fairly central, with a Luton player just a yard from him. With no hesitation, Soucek hit a first-time, low volley that saw the ball nestle into the bottom far corner.
There were also good goals from Spurs’ porro. Palace’ Olise. Newcastle’s Hall and Chelsea’s Palmer.
FOOL: LIVERPOOL FC
Although, in the end, it didn’t mean much, and they still have one more home game to give Klopp a good send-off. The game at Villa summed up their season.
Impressive for most of the game, and cruising to a decent away win at Villa. But, with just 10 minutes to see out a two-goal lead. Liverpool conspired to concede two goals in three crazy minutes, to somehow gift Villa a late, came-from-behind draw. FOOLS!
