TEAM: CHELSEA
It was a tough decision this week, as there weren’t exactly any outstanding team performances, but rather many good ones.
However, Chelsea, who lost both their centre-backs during the game, were the better team and after being pegged back, responded with a last-second, sucker punch winner which they deserved.
Well done to Bournemouth. Man City. Arsenal. Spurs. Man Utd. Newcastle. Aston Villa and Everton.
GOALKEEPER: JORDON PICKFORD (Everton)
There were several good goalkeeper performances this week, but I went with the Everton man who was one of the few who directly contributed to his team’s result.
Palace were flying high and unbeaten in the league, but only beat Pickford once. This allowed his team to win it late in the least seconds.
Shout out also to Man Utd’s Lammens. Palace’s Henderson. Forest’s Sels. Spurs’ Vicario. Wolves’ Johnstone and Burnley’s Dubravka.
DEFENDER: JURRIEN TIMBER (Arsenal)
He may have gone under the radar a bit, not about being a good player, but in the fact that he could be the best right back in the league.
Not only that, but he contributes at both ends of the pitch, rarely gets beaten and is comfortable on the ball wherever he is.
Well done to his teammate, Calafiori. Bournemouth’s Truffert. Spurs duo Romero & Udogie. Man City duo Dias & Gvardiol. Chelsea duo Gusto & Cucurella.
Man Utd’s De Ligt. Leeds’s Roden. Newcastle duo Thiaw & Burn. Wolves’ Krejci. Brighton’s Van Hecke
MIDFIELDER: ANTOINE SEMENYO (Bournemouth)
He has been one of the form players of the season, and his performances have fully contributed to Bournemouth making one of their best-ever league starts.
After Fulham went ahead, he took the game by the scruff of the neck to score two. The equaliser was a superb run and finish from the touch line to get his team back into it.
Shout out to his teammate Scott. Chelsea trio Caicedo, James & Estevao . Spurs duo Kudus & Xavi Simons. Arsenal’s Rice. Man Utd’s Mount. Everton’s Grealish. Newcastle duo Bruno Guimaraes & Elanga.
Burnley’s Ugochukwu. Leeds’ Longstaff. Villa’s Kamara. Palace duo Munoz & Wharton. Fulham’s Sessegnon. Sunderland’s Xhaka.
FORWARD: DONYELL MALEN (Aston Villa)
With Villa struggling for goals this season, they desperately needed someone to step up, and that’s exactly what he did.
He took both goals very well. Showing strength and awareness, but above all, instinctive finishing quality, which Villa have been missing this season.
Well done to Man City’s Haaland. Bournemouth’s Kluivert. Man Utes’ Sesko. Newcastle’s Woltemade. Spurs’ Tel. Arsenal’s Saka. Liverpool’s Gakpo and Leeds’ Okafor.
MANAGER: ENZO MARESCA (Chelsea)
After spending big money and now losing back-to-back league games, the pressure was on Maresca.
His team started well against Liverpool, but after conceding an equaliser and then losing two of his centre-backs, you could have feared the worst. But he was brave and went for the victory, which he got from his 18-year-old sub in the last seconds.
Shout out also to Bournemouth’s Areola. Arsenal’s Arteta. Everton’s Moyes and Spurs’ Frank.
UNSUNG HERO: MOISES CAICEDO (Chelsea)
Not only did he open the scoring with a superb strike from outside the box. But he bossed the midfield, something he is becoming accustomed to doing.
He has become a mainstay in the Chelsea midfield, and you can see why his contributions to the offence have been equally as good as his contributions in defence.
Well done to his teammate Cucurella. Spurs’ Kudus. Newcastle’s Woltemade and Bournemouth’s Kluivert.
GAME: CHELSEA 2-1 LIVERPOOL
Chelsea opened the scoring with a thunderbolt from Caicedo and were much the better side in the first half (14).
However, Liverpool came back into it in the second and got a deserved equaliser through Gakpo (63). Although there were chances for either side to win the game, it was heading for a draw.
However, in the closing seconds, Cucurella squared from the left for sub Estevao to steal in at the back post to sweep home, taking advantage of poor Liverpool defending to win it (90+5).
GOAL: JUSTIN KLUIVERT (Bournemouth) vs Fulham
Kluivert collected a ball in midfield, moved past one defender, then took a step over to wrong-foot another defender to make half a yard.
As the space opened up from around just over 20 yards out, he looked up and hit a controlled, angled but powerful effort that sailed into the top far corner.
There were also good goals from his teammate Semenyo, Chelsea’s Caicedo and Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes.
FOOL: ANGE POSTECOGLOU (Notts Forest)
Arne Slot could be here for back-to-back league losses, a loss in midweek and some questionable subs at Chelsea. However, I went with Ange for another defeat in his new job.
It was always going to be tough to follow Nuno, but he is now seven games into his Forest tenure and still without a victory. He also went out of the League Cup to lower opposition. His job is already under threat, and it’s just started. FOOL!
