TEAM: MANCHESTER CITY
There were a few who could have claimed this. However, even in a disappointing season, the departing champions flexed their considerable muscle.
It started disastrously, going two goals down. But once they got a goal back, there was no turning back. They soon got the equaliser before halftime and then romped the second half with three unanswered goals.
Well done to Everton. Newcastle. Aston Villa. Liverpool and Bournemouth.
GOALKEEPER: JORDAN PICKFORD (Everton)
There were a few worthy candidates for this, but Everton’s clean sheet and impressive win, at the Champions League, chasing Forest swayed it for me.
Although Forest don’t score many goals, they did all they could to beat Pickford, but he showed just why he is that with a man-of-the-match performance to help earn a superb three points.
Shout out to Ipswich’s Palmer. Liverpool’s Alisson. Bounemouth’s Kepa. Villa’s Martinez and Southampton’s Ramsdale.
DEFENDER: DEAN HUIJSEN (Bournemouth)
On his 20th birthday, he put in a man-of-the-match performance to get a much-needed first clean sheet in over 10 games.
He started the game on the right side of the central defence and ended it on the left side in a mature performance well beyond his years.
Well done to his teammate Cook. Liverpool duo Van Dijk & Bradley. Arsenal duo Partey & Saliba. Brentford duo Van den Berg & Collins. Everton duo Branthwaite and Tarkowski. Chelsea’s Cucurella.
Newcastle foursome Trippier, Liveramento, Burns & Schar. Ipswich’s O’Shea. Wolves’ Agbadou. Villa foursome Konsa, Mings, Cash & Maatsen. Man City’s O’Reilly. Leicester’s Okoli and Fulham’s Bassey.
MIDFIELDER: KEVIN DE BRUYNE (Man City)
It was a vintage performance for the now departing captain and City legend who drug his team back into the game when he was needed most.
He scored a superb free kick to pull a goal back, was involved minutes later in the equaliser, and then, minutes into the second half, assisted the third. Once they went ahead, it was all over.
Shout out to his teammates Kovacic and McAtee. Newcastle trio Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Tonali. Arsenal’s Rice. Villa foursome Onana, Tielemans, Rogers and Ramsey.
Leicester duo El Khannouss & Mavididi. Palace’s Eze. Wolves duo Ait-Nouri and Joao Gomes. West Ham’s Kudus. Ipswich’s Johnson. Chelsea’s Sancho. Bounemouth’s Semenyo also, Everton duo Harrison and Doucoure.
FORWARD: HARVEY BARNES (Newcastle)
He was the only forward to score more than one open-play goals this week. Has played much of the season second fiddle, but when he has stepped up, he has always performed.
That is a testament to his professionalism and attitude. Starting another game, he notched two in the second half to take the game away from Man Utd to make it a romp.
Well done to his teammate Isak. Liverpool duo Salah & Diaz. Brighton’s Joao Pedro. Wolves duo Larsen & Cunha. Brentford’s Wissa.
Villa duo Watkins & Malen. Man City’s Marmoush also, Spurs duo Tel & Richarlison.
MANAGER: VITOR PEREIRA (Wolves)
He is the current form manager of the last five league games. This win made it four in a row, and they are unbeaten in their last five.
They took Spurs to the sword with some clinical finishing, punishing Spurs’ defensive mistakes. This good form came while he navigated the loss of Cunha, who returned to action with the fourth goal.
Shout out to Everton’s Moyes. Newcastle’s Tindall. Villa’s Emery and Bounemouth’s Iraola.
UNSUNG HERO: ABDOULAYE DOUCOURE (Everton)
He was again the Everton match-winner. For the umpteenth time, he has popped up with an important goal for Everton.
He seems to have the knack of being in the right place at the right time, with the awareness or anticipation to sniff out a chance. More often than not he has the quality to execute, much like he did at Forest to get the only goal of the game.
Well done to his teammate Brainthwaite. Newcastle’s Murphy. Ipswich duo Enciso & Johnson. Wolves duo Ait Nouri and Okoli also Leicester’s Mavididi.
GAME: CHELSEA 2-2 IPSWICH
Chelsea started well but relegation-threatened Ipswich took the lead when Johnson crossed for Enciso to sweep home (19). It was then two when Enciso crossed from the left for Johnson to head home (31).
In the second half, Chelsea pulled an early goal back when Tuanzebe turned Madueke’s cross into his net, under pressure from Cucurella (46).
Chelsea equalised when Sancho curled a lovely effort into the top corner (79).
There was also a good game at Brighton who drew 2-2 with Leicester.
GOAL: JADON SANCHO (Chelsea) vs Ipswich
From a short corner, Endo played the ball in from the left to Sancho, who drifted into some space inside the box by the left corner.
He quickly turned, set himself and, from the edge of the box, effortlessly curled a ball into the top far corner.
FOOL: TOTTENHAM
To be fair, it was a toss-up between them and Man Utd. But their drubbing was to a team just above the relegation zone, unlike Newcastle.
Spurs and Postecoglou have now lost 17 league games only the three teams in the relegation zone have lost more league games this season. That is horrendous by anyone’s standards. FOOLS!
