TEAM: BOURNEMOUTH
I may be straying away from my normal format for this one as although two teams won both their games this week, away from home. Bournemouth impressed the most.
They were unlucky to come away from Chelsea with a point after conceding a last-second free-kick goal. But they more than made up for it at Newcastle with a 4-1 demolition job.
Well done to Brighont and Crystal Palace. Also, Notts Forest, Liverpool, Arsenal, Aston Villa and Man City.
GOALKEEPER: BART VERBRUGGEN (Brighton)
In a double-game week, it’s always difficult to choose an outstanding performer, as it’s rare that a player performs in both games.
So, not exactly by default, but the Brighton man was the only keeper to claim a man of the match award this week due to his heroics at Ipswich to earn a clean sheet as his team won 2-0 and heap more misery on the Tractor boys.
Shout out also to Bournemouth’s Travers, Nott’s Forest’s Selz and Crystal Palace’s Henderson.
DEFENDER: MARK GUEHI (Crystal Palace)
Although it was a team effort, in both his games he led his backline by example to make it back-to-back clean sheets.
In midweek at Leicester, he helped to reduce them to half chances and then scored a lovely second to seal the game. Then, at West Ham, they shut the Hammers out and did not allow a shot on goal.
Well done to his teammates Lacroix and Richards. Forest foursome Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams and Aina. Bournemough foursome Kerkez, Huijsen, Zabarny & Cook.
Liverpool duo Van Dijk & Konate. Everton’s Tarkowski. Fulham’s Robinson.Villa’s Digne. Also Arsenal duo Lewis-Skelly & Gabriel. Also Chelsea trio James, Tosin & Cucurella.
MIDFIELDER: JUSTIN KLUIVERT (Bournemouth)
He came off the bench in the first half at Chelsea and helped his team go from a goal down to 2-1 up with a penalty to equalise, and was unlucky not to get three points.
Then went to Newcastle and scored his second hat-trick of the season with three superbly clinical strikes of pure quality.
Shout out to his teammates Semenyo, Christie & Adams. Man Utd’s Diallo. Liverpool trio Gravenberch, Mac Alliser & Szoboszlai.Villa trio Tielemans, Rogers & Kamara. Chelsea duo Palmer & Madueke. Forest foursome Gibbs-White, Elanka, Hudson-Odoi & Anderson
West Ham trio Soler, Paqueta & Soucek. Fulham fourson Iwobi, Smith Rowe, Wilson & Traore. Brighton duo Minteh & Baleba. Man City Foursome De Bruyne, Doku, Kovacic and Foden who was close to winning this.
FORWARD: JEAN-PHILIPPE MATETA (Crystal Palace)
Although there were some great performances, he was the only forward this week to score three goals, although one was a penalty.
His other goals were two bits of quality, which showed his movement, powerful running and clinical finishing, to make it four goals in his last three games.
Well done also to Brighton duo Mitoma & Ruter. Arsenal duo Trossard & Martinelli. Liverpool duo Jota & Nunez. Aston Villa’s Watkins. Forest’s Wood.
Newcastle duo Isak & Gordon, Man City’s Haaland Spurs duo Son & Richarlison also Everton Calvert-Lewin, Ndiaye
MANAGER: FABIAN HURZELER (Brighton)
Only two teams notched two wins this week, and all four were away games. However, I gave it to the Brighton boss, who swayed it with their dismantling at Old Trafford.
Following a good win at Ipswich, where their keeper had to play his part. They went to a Man Utd team on a high but played them off the park and reduced them to just one shot on goal.
Shout out also to Crystal Palace’s Glasner. Notts Forest’s Espirito Santo. Villa’s Emery and Liverpool’s Slot.
UNSUNG HERO: PHIL FODEN (Man City)
He has had a torrid season so far, but there are signs he is getting back to his player-of-the-season form from last year.
In the two games this week, he scored four goals, two in each game, and assisted one. He looked full of creativity and goals, which bodes well the Man City for the rest of the season.
Well done also to Man Utd’s Diallo and Liverpool’s Nunez. Crystal Palace’s Lacroix. Forest’s Murillo. Chelsea’s James. Arsenal’s Lewis-Skelly and Brighton due Mitoma & Minteh.
GAME1: BRENTFORD 2-2 MAN CITY
After a cagey first half where both teams had chances, It sparked into life in the second half after Roslev’s disallowed goal.
Foden then gave Man City the lead when he guided De Bruyne’s superb cross from the right past Flekken (66). He then made it two when he followed in Savinho’s blocked shot to rifle home (78).
Brentford pulled a goal back when Wissa cooly controlled Damsgaard’s header to sweep home (82). They rescued an unlikely point when Norgaard headed in Lewis-Potter’s cross despite Ortega getting a hand to the ball (90+2).
Brentford almost won it dramatically, but Ake headed Mbeuma’s shot off the line.
GAME2 ARSENAL 2-2 ASTON VILLA
Arsenal took an early lead when Martinelli touched in Trossard’s cross, despite Martinez scrambling the ball off the line (35). It was then two when Harvertz turned in Trossard cross, off Martinez (5).
Tielemans then pulled a goal back with a lovely diving header from Digne’s lovely cross from the left (60). They were soon level when Watkins stole a yard in the box and finished with a controlled side-footed volley into the roof, following Cash’s cross (68).
Arsenal thought they took the lead late on, but Moreno’s goal was disallowed, due to it coming off Havertz’s arm.
GOAL1: AMAD DIALLO (Man Utd) vs Southampton
Amad picked the ball up on the right flank, ran towards the box, then slipped it inside the Eriksen and continued into the box.
Eriksen then played a lovely, first-time clip over two defenders into Amad’s path, who stretched and got a toe to the ball to tap past the keeper into the bottom corner.
GOAL2: JUSTIN KLUIVERT (Bournemouth) vs Newcastle
Following a poor pass from Newcastle’s right-back position interception in midfield by Admes.
He quickly shifted the ball forward to Kluivert, some 25 yards from goal. He took one touch, set himself, and unleashed a powerful drive that thundered inside the near post to complete a superb hat-trick.
There was also a good goal from Spurs’s Kulusevski and Bournemouth’s Kerkez.
FOOL: IPSWICH TOWN
Naturally, in a double game week, there were several candidates for this. However, though four teams lost both games this week, Ipswich scored none and conceded eight.
After their disappointing but spirited home defeat to Brighton, they welcomed Man City at home. However, they got trounced 6-0, and midway through the game, it looked like they felt sorry for themselves and just gave up. FOOLS!a
