TEAM: NOTTINGHAM FOREST
There were a few candidates for this, but nothing was more impressive than Forest’s smash-and-grab job at Anfield.
They got their tactics spot on. They packed the middle, stifled Liverpool’s attack until they ran out of ideas, then had the quality to hit them on the break to win the game.
Well done also to Aston Villa. Arsenal. Man Utd. Chelsea. Newcastle and Man City.
GOALKEEPER: ROBERT SANCHEZ (Chelsea)
Not only did he save a penalty at the end of the first half to sour Bournemouth’s joy and bounce at home.
But he thwarted Bournemouth throughout, with save after save to frustrate the home team, which allowed Chelsea to win the game late.
Shout out also to Arsenal’s Raya. Ipswich’s Muric. Forests Sels and Man City’s Ederson.
DEFENDER: GABRIEL (Arsenal)
I had several options for this category but went with the North London derby match winner.
It was not only about him being the match-winner with a superb header. But he was solid all game at the back, giving the Spurs forwards nothing all game.
Well done also to his teammate Saliba. Newcastle’s Schar. Man Utd duo De Ligt & Dalot. Ipswich duo Greaves & Davis. Brighton’s Van Hecke. Palace duo Mateta & Nketia. Forest duo Milenkovic & Aina and Chelsea’s Colwill.
MIDFIELDER: CALLUM HUDSON-ODOI (Nottingham Forest)
He was only on the pitch for over 30 minutes, but his impact and influence on the game were immense.
Naturally, it was about him being the match-winner, but he was a threat from the moment he stepped onto the pitch, giving the Liverpool defenders all sorts of trouble and topping it off with a superb winner.
Shout out also to his teammate Gibbs-White. Man Utd duo Amad & Garnacho. Wolves’ Lemina. Newcastle duo Guimaraes & Barnes. Chelsea’s Sancho.
Leicester duo Ndidi & Mavididi. Fulham duo Smith Rowe & Iwobi. Everton’s McNeil. Man City’s De Bruyne and Villa duo Ramsey & Barkley.
FORWARD: OLIVER WATKINS (Aston Villa)
After a slow start to the season, he has come to life at just the right time to help his team snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
At two down to Everton, they look out of it and out of ideas. However, he popped up with two clinical finishes to pull his team level before they won it for a dramatic come-from-behind victory.
Well done also to his teammate Duran. Chelsea’s Nkunku. Man Utd’s Rashford. Fulham’s Jimenez. West Ham’s Ings. Leicester’s Vardy.
Brentford’s Wissa. Palace duo Mateta & Nketiah. Everton’s Calvert-Lewin and Man City’s Haaland, who was close to winning this.
MANAGER: NUNO ESPIRITO SANCHEZ (Notts Forest)
Nobody gave his team a chance at Liverpool who had a 100% record this season and were unbeaten at Anfield for 11 months.
However, he set his stall out to defeat, staying solid but resilient and as the game went on, he introduced the quality, one being Hudson-Odoi, who scored the winner.
Shout out also to Arsenal’s Arteta and Aston Villa’s Emery.
UNSUNG HERO: JADON SANCHO (Chelsea)
There were several candidates for this but the Chelsea man gets it for an impressive and impactful debut for the Blues.
Considering his turbulent few years at Man Utd, you expected him to ease his way into his Chelsea career. But he came on with something to prove and did just that to assist the only goal for the winner in a man-of-the-match performance.
Well done also to Forest’s Yates. Fulham’s Smith Rowe. Palace’s Mateta. Ipswich’s Davis. Man Utd’s De Ligt. Newcastle’s Schar and Arsenal’s Saliba.
GAME: ASTON VILLA 3-2 EVERTON
Everton stunned the Villa crowd with two first-half goals through McNeil (16) and Calvert-Lewin (27).
However, Villa pulled a goal back in the first half from Watkins’ back post header (36). Then he equalised in the second half (58) before Duran won it with a wonder strike (76).
GOAL: JHON DURAN (Aston Villa) vs Everton
In a pulsating game, Everton took a two-goal lead only for Villa to peg them back.
In the 76th minute, Duran picked up the ball 25 yards from the goal. With nothing on and nobody pressuring him, he let fly with an unstoppable, rasping drive that thundered into the top corner of the net for fitting winner to a tremendous game.
FOOL: EVERTON FC
I could have given this to Liverpool or Slot, but let’s be honest, nothing is worse than where Everton is right now.
Four defeats in their first four league games is horrendous enough, but back-to-back games of being two up and losing 3-2 is downright cowardly. FOOLS!
