TEAM: LEEDS UTD
There was no doubt that the result of the weekend came at Elland Road. Leeds are hovering just above the relegation zone, and trounced Palace.
Although Palace lost their last game at home to City, it was a Palace team that had beaten the likes of Liverpool and Villa this season. However, Leeds tore them apart, scoring four.
Well done to Man City. Brentford. Aston Villa. Arsenal. Fulham and Liverpool
GOALKEEPER: BART VERBRUGGEN (Brighton)
There were not many keepers in the running for this award this week, but the few that were made this decision very close.
However, when I broke it down, the Brighton keeper kept a clean sheet and made the most saves, although none spectacular, he did what he had to do to earn his team a point.
Shout out also to Villa’s Martinez. Man City’s Donnarumma. Brentford’s Kelleher. Sunderland’s Roefs and Man Utd’s Lemmons.
DEFENDER: PIERO HINCAPIE (Arsenal)
My decision may raise a few eyebrows, and there were a few in the running, but although he has stepped into a well-drilled team defensively, he still had to play his part.
In just a handful of starts, it must help playing alongside Saliba, but he was the pick of the defenders at Everton, who got nothing all game and were reduced to just one shot on goal at home.
Shout out to his teammate Saliba. Fulham’s Anderson. Sunderland’s Ballard. Brighton duo Coppola & Boscogli. Bournemouth’s Senesi. Brentford duo Van den Berg & Collins.
Newcastle’s Miley. Man City’s Nunes. Leeds’ Bijol. Everton duo Tarkowski & Keane. Villa’s Maatsen. And Man Utd’s Heaven.
MIDFIELDER: MORGAN ROGERS (Aston Villa)
Is it too soon to say he is in the form of this life? A brace in back-to-back games, and in both games, his second goals were winners.
Against Man Utd, he scored in either half, both from similar positions, and both were exquisite finishes to make it seven straight league wins and move Villa within three points of the top.
Shout out to his teammate, Onana. Chelsea’s James. Bournemouth’s Semenyo. Man City duo Reijnders & Cherki. Brentford duo Lewis-Potter & Janet. Leeds duo Stach & Ampadu. Man Utd’s Dorgu. Sunderland’s Xhaka and Arsenal’s Rice.
FORWARD: EARLING HAALAND (Man City)
This was probably the hardest decision, with three forwards in close running for this award; however, by a whisker, I went with the Man City forward.
It was nothing spectacular, but two goals and an assist to make it 19 already for the season is crazy, even by his standards.
Well done to Leeds’ Calvert-Lewin. Newcastle duo Woltemade & Gordon. Liverpool duo Isak & Ekitike. Chelsea’s Clyne. Man Utd’s Cunha. Burnley’s Broja. Spurs’ Richarlison. Arsenal’s Gyokores and Fulham’s Jimenez.
MANAGER: DANIEL FARKE (Leeds Utd)
I am sure everyone is wondering where that result came from. Leeds destroyed the usually stubborn defence of Crystal Palace with a four-goal blitz.
To add to that, his free signing striker Calvert-Lewin has hit a purple patch all of a sudden and is one of the inform strikers in the league as Leeds have now gone four unbeaten.
Shout out to Man City’s Guardiola. Villa’s Emery and Brentford’s Andrews.
UNSUNG HERO: KEANE LEWIS-POTTER (Brentford)
There were a few in the running for this award, but there is no way I could ignore the Brentford man. Such is his versatility, you don’t quite know what his actual position is.
He has played at full back, wing back, winger, and inside left midfielder, which is where he was against Wolves, and notched two goals, with two good finishes to seal the game.
Well done to Newcastle duo Woltemade & Miley. Sunderland’s Ballard. Fulham’s Anderson and Chelsea’s James.
GAME: NEWCASTLE 2-2 CHELSEA
Newcastle opened the scoring early when Woltermade finished from close range after good work from Gordon (3). It was soon two when Gordon crossed from the left for Woltemade to touch home (20).
In the second half, Chelsea came back when James curled a lovely free kick in from about 27 yards out (49). Then Joao Pedro did well to control a high ball on his head to wrong-foot Thiaw, then he ran in on goal to slip the ball past Ramsdale to equalise.
GOAL: MORGAN ROGERS (Aston Villa) vs Man Utd
McGinn received the ball with his back to goal in the semi-circle, turned and played a ball to the left towards Rogers.
Rogers miscontrolled the ball, causing him to chase and retrieve it, just keeping it in on the left touchline. He then faced up his defender, cut inside and drifted just inside the left corner of the box, then unleashed an unstoppable effort that sailed into the far corner.
There was also a good goal from Chelsea’s James.
FOOL: CRISTIAN ROMERO (Tottenham)
It was a shocking game, especially for a captain in a team that had gone down to 10 men. He gave the ball away that led to Liverpool’s opening goal. Was beaten in the air for Liverpool’s second goal.
While protesting that goal, claiming a foul, he was yellow-carded. After his team fought to get a goal back, he needlessly kicked out to get a second yellow to end his team’s chances of a comeback. FOOL!
