TEAM: NOTTINGHAM FOREST
Despite winning at Anfield last year, I doubt even the die-hard Forest fan was expecting what they did this time around.
Even with Liverpool in a slump, to go to Anfield and destroy them by three goals, getting another clean sheet is beyond their wildest dreams, but it is fully deserved.
Well done to Arsenal. Newcastle. Chelsea. Aston Villa. Crystal Palace. Brighton. Fulham, also Everton, were really close to winning this.
GOALKEEPER: JORDAN PICKFORD (Everton)
When any team goes down to 10 men, no matter who they play, instantly the attention turns to the keeper, who will need to have a good game.
These are the type of situations that Pickford relishes and excels in as the thwarted Man Utd, who, to be fair, did not bombard his goal as we expected, but when they did have chances, he was equal to everything.
Shout out to Brighton’s Verbruggen. Sunderland’s Roefs and West Ham’s Areola.
DEFENDER: MURILLO (Notts Forest)
Not only did he score the opening goal in the first half with an accomplished finish, despite the controversy surrounding it.
But he then spent the rest of the game thwarting some almost £500m worth of talent and made it look easy on the way to a clean sheet.
Well done to his teammates, Savona, N.Williams & Milenkovic. Everton duo Keane & Tarkowski. Arsenal due Timber and Hincapie. Fulham duo Anderson & Bassey.
Villa due Konsa & Torres. Palace duo Lacroix & Richards. Man City’s Dias. Chelsea duo Tosin and Chalobah.
MIDFIELDER: EBERECHI EZE (Arsenal)
Naturally, this was the easiest decision this week. In his first North London derby, he has written his name in folklore with a hat-trick.
If he hadn’t already endeared himself to the fans by choosing Arsenal over Spurs, he rubbed salt in the wounds with his three goals and three neat finishes.
Well done to his teammate Trossard. Villa doo Rogers & Kamara. Forest duo Anderson and Gibbs-White. Chelsea trio Enzo, Neto & Santos.
Bournemouth’s Tavernier. Brighton trio Hinshelwood, Ayari & Minteh. Fulham trio Iwobi, Kevin & Berge. Palace duo Munoz & Wharton.
FORWARD: HARVEY BARNES (Newcastle)
All of a sudden, he has found form for Newcastle and has three goals and an assist in his last three league games.
He had two chances in the first half to score open, but made up for it in the second when he rifled into the bottom corner to open the scoring, then was in the right place to finish on the line for the winner.
Shout out to West Ham’s Wilson. Palace’s Pino. Brighton’s Welbeck. Brentford’s Thiago. Bournemouth’s Unal and Leeds’ Nmecha.
MANAGER: DAVID MOYES (Everton)
It must have been really satisfying to go back to Old Trafford and get an unlikely win in the most unlikely circumstances.
Going down to ten men after just 13 minutes, nobody gave his team a chance, but his team believed, defended for their lives, took their chance when it came and came away with a memorable win.
Well done to Arsenal’s Arteta. Notts Forest’s Dyche and Newcastle’s Howe.
UNSUNG HERO: KIERNAN DEWSBURY-HALL (Everton)
Obviously, he is not unsung, but he scored the only goal of the game at Old Trafford after Everton went a man down.
The goal was a perfect combination of determination, skill, awareness and a brilliant strike, which ultimately was the unlikely strike that won the game.
Shout out to Chelsea’s Santos. Palace’s Pino. Brighton’s Welbeck. Palace’s Munoz. Villa’s Rogers and West Ham’s Wilson.
GAME: BOURNEMOUTH 2-2 WEST HAM
West Ham took a shock early lead when Wilson rifled in from the edge of the box off the keeper (11). He then made it two as he hooked in from close range (35).
In the second half, Bournemouth pulled a goal back when Tavernier smashed in a penalty following a handball (69). They then substitute Unal, equalised after a great take, turn and neat finish into the roof of the net (81).
GOAL: KIERNAN DEWSBURY-Hall (Everton) vs Man Utd
Dewsbury-Hall received a good ball in midfield from Gana and swivelled to face the Man Utd goal.
He drove towards goal, evaded two United players on the edge of the box, where one got a touch, which pushed the ball invitingly to the side, allowing Dewsbury-Hall to curl a thunderous effort into the top far corner.
There were also good goals from Spurs’ Richarlison and Palace’s Pino.
FOOL: RUBEN AMORIM (Man Utd)
I had already written my statement for this about Slot before the Man Utd game, as I was convinced that no matter what happened, nothing would be worse.
But I stand corrected. It’s bad enough playing against 10 men at home from the 13th minute and losing. But to persist with five at the back, even after Everton had scored and lost, was absolutely criminal. FOOL!
