TEAM: BOURNEMOUTH
It is back-to-back team of the week awards for Bournemouth, who are very much the in-form team and are now eleven league games unbeaten.
They destroyed the other in-form team, third-placed Forest 5-0 with some thrilling forward play and clinical finishing to boost their European hopes.
Well done to Leicester. Everton. Brentford. Man City. Liverpool. Arsenal. Man Utd and Newcastle
GOALKEEPER: JAKUB STOLARCZYK (Leicester)
He is having a good run in the team but it’s fair to say he has not had the best of starts with no league win in five games.
However, he played his part in earning a first league win with an inspiring performance at Tottenham which allowed his team to come from behind and score two goals in four second-half minutes to win the game.
Shout out to Man City’s Ederson. Brentford’s Flekken. Bournemouth’s Kepa. Man Utd’s Onana and Arsenal’s Raya.
DEFENDER: LISANDRO MARTINEZ (Man Utd)
It was a poor game at Craven Cottage with few shots on goal, but that constitutes a good game for the defenders.
Not only was he solid and composed at the back but when the game was heading for a dull draw, it was his deflected shot, which flew into the net for a much-needed three points away.
Well done to his teammate Maguire. Bournemouth foursome Cook, Zabarnyi, Huijsen & Kerkez. Liverpool duo Alexander-Arnold & Konate. Arsenal’s Calafiori. Man City’s Gvardiol.
Brentford’s Collins. Southampton’s Bednarek. Leicester duo Vestergaard & Kristiansen also, Everton trio O’Brien, Tarkowski and Branthwaite who was close to winning this.
MIDFIELDER: DOMINIK SZOBOSZLAI (Liverpool)
He opened the scoring with a lovely, left-footed take from outside the box, after turning inside a player. He was also involved in the third after another lovely run where his shot was saved.
In a midfield full of life and brimming with talent, he was the brightest, with his running off the ball, passes, pressing, tracking back, and linking up play.
Shout out to his teammates Mac Allister and Gravenberch. Arsenal duo Rice & Partey. Bournemouth duo Kluivert and Semenyo. Everton duo Mangala & Gueye. Newcastle’s Tonali. Man City’s Foden.
Brentford’s Damsgaard. Leicester duo Decordova-Reid and El Khannouss. Man Utd’s Collyer. Aston Villa duo Ramsey & Tielemans also West Ham duo Emerson & Paqueta.
FORWARD: DANGO OUATTARA (Bournemouth)
Playing somewhat out of position due to injuries, he stepped in as a makeshift striker and notched a superb hat-trick to brush Forest aside.
He demonstrated his keen eye for goal with a superb header for the first goal. A clinical finish on his left for the second and showed striker instincts and awareness to sniff out the third after the keeper parried.
Well done to Liverpool duo Gakpo & Salah. Newcastle’s Isak. Brentford duo Mbeumo & Schade. Leicester’s Vardy.
Spurs’ Richarlison. Everton’s Ndiaye. Man City’s Haaland. Palace’s Esse and Aston Villa’s Watkins.
MANAGER: ANDONI IRAOLA (Bournemouth)
The battle of the two unlikely inform teams turned into a mismatch as Bournemouth destroyed Forest, who before the drubbing had the third-best defensive record.
However, Iraola’s men ran right, although scoring three of the five goals late, he has them playing scintillating football and scoring plenty of goals where a European place is now a realistic goal.
Shout out to Leicester’s Van Nistelrooy. Everton’s Moyes and Arsenal’s Arteta.
UNSUNG HERO: RICCARDO CALAFIORI (Arsenal)
He entered the game a half-time due to the red card to bring more stability to the ten men.
While helping his team to a clean sheet, he popped up with the important goal to give his team three valuable points in their title challenge.
Well done to Everton’s Branthwaite. Man City’s Gvardial. Liverpool’s Gakpo. Brentford’s Damsgaard and West Ham’s Paqueta.
GAME: MAN CITY 3-1 CHELSEA
Chelsea took an early lead following a horrific mistake from the debutant Khusanov, which allowed Jackson to set up Madueke to tap into an empty net (3).
Man City levelled late in the half when Nunez’s shot came back off the keeper and Gvardiol was on hand to tap home (42).
They took the lead when Ederson played a long ball to Haaland, on the left side of the box. He spotted Sanchez way out of his goal and coolly chipped the ball into an empty net (68).
Man City sealed the win when Haaland laid a ball on for Foden who ran through unchallenged to slip the ball past Sanchez (87).
GOAL: DOMINIK SZOBOSZLAI (Liverpool) vs Ipswich
Konate picked up the ball high in the Liverpool half and surged forward. He then threaded a pass, through midfield into Szoboszlai.
He took the ball on the half turn, and as an Ipswich player came out, he quickly turned inside onto his left foot, took a touch, and then hit a sweet, low left-footed drive that nestled into the near bottom corner.
There was also a good goal from Bournemouth’s Kluivert and Leicester’s El Khannouss.
FOOL: ROBERT SANCHEZ (Chelsea)
Although there were several candidates for this, for me, the worst of the lot was the Chelsea keeper for his rush of blood that allowed Haaland to score the second.
Chelsea was in the game at 1-1, but his ill-fated decision to rush out to Haaland, with a defender near him proved fatal. What is worse is that he is joint second for mistakes leading to goals. FOOL!
