TEAM: BRENTFORD
Although Villa had recently lost their long unbeaten home streak, they were expecting to bounce back at home to Brentford. You would have thought that task was made easier when Schade was sent off after 42 minutes.
However, the players never dropped their heads; they battled, fought, and miraculously scored a goal on the stroke of halftime. Then, in the second half, they defended like their lives depended on it to hold out for a fantastic away win.
Well done to Arsenal. Liverpool. Chelsea. Bournemouth. Sunderland and Man Utd.
GOALKEEPER: DJORDJE PETROVIC (Bournemouth)
I think Wolves are still scratching their heads, wondering how they came away from this game without scoring.
They did everything but due to a combination of poor finishing, bad luck and the heroics of the Bournemouth keeper. He faced the joint second-most shots on target this week and got a clean sheet, whereas the other two keepers conceded four.
Shout out to Brentford’s Kelleher and Tottenham’s Vicario.
DEFENDER: IBRAHIMA KONATE (Liverpool)
Just nine days after losing his father, while his team were struggling for defenders, he decided to come back and help his teammates while still grieving.
He had not had the best of seasons, and while still grieving, not much was expected of him. But to come back and turn in one of his best performances of the season, and even top it off when a goal at the end of the game was just fitting.
Well done to his teammate Szoboszlai. Brentford foursome Van den Berg, Ajar, Henry & Kayode. Arsenal’s Gabriel. Forest trio Aina, Milenkovic & Murillo.
Chelsea duo Cucurella & Fofana. Bournemouth duo Senesi & Truffert. Everton duo Tarkowski and Keane. Sunderland duo Reinildo & Ballard. Also, West Ham’s Wan-Bissaka.
MIDFIELDER: CASEMIRO (Man Utd)
After announcing this would be his last season at United, he rolled back the years to put in a vintage performance. He opened the scoring with a header, and it was his ball that created the second for Cunha.
However, it was not only moving forward. It showed exactly what he does for the time after he came off, because that is where Fulham got joy in midfield and scored two goals to almost salvage a point, but United won it in stoppage time.
Shout out to his teammate Bruno Fernandes. Liverpool’s Wirtz. Arsenal duo Zubimendi and Madueke. Chelsea’s Enzo. Sunderland’s Diarra. Spurs duo Simons & Gallagher.
Man City duo Cherki, Semenyo. Bournemouth’s Scott. Brighton’s Gross. Brentford duo Janelt & Henderson. Fulham’s Kevin, Forest duo Gibbs-White & Anderson.
FORWARD: HUGO EKITIKE (Liverpool)
He has started his Liverpool career on fire and has already struck fear into Premier League strikers with his all-around game.
His two goals showed anticipation, awareness, and poaching for the first. Pace, power, skill and clinical finishing for the second to bring him to double figures in the league.
Well done to Tottenham’s Solaknke. Brentford’s Ouattara. Chelsea’s Joao Pedro. Man Utd duo Cunha & Sesko. Bournemouth’s Kroupi.
Everton’s Beto. Arsenal duo Gyokeres & Jesus. Palace’s Sarr, Fulham’s Jimenez and Sunderland’s Brobbery.
MANAGER: MIKEL ARTETA (Arsenal)
This was a close one as the Brentford manager deserves something; however, he was pipped by the Arsenal manager who made a statement away win. After the defeat at home to Man Utd, this was a big game where many expected trouble.
However, with no Saka, the pressure was on. But his team brushed aside any worries, at a stadium where Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd dropped points. They destroyed Leeds with a 4-0 victory to take a seven point lead at the top.
Shout out to Brentford’s Andrews. Chelsea’s Rosenior. Man Utd’s Carrick. Liverpool’s Slot. Sunderland’s Le Bris and Bournemouth’s Iraola.
UNSUNG HERO: DOMINIC SOLANKE (Tottenham)
Obviously not unsung, however, he just missed out on the forward award, so he deserved some recognition for clawing his team back from the brink of death to earn a point.
He showed strength and determination to fend off two defenders for a controversial first. But there was no controversy for the second, with a fantastic, improvised finish that he would find it hard to recreate if he tried it again a hundred times over.
Well done to Sunderland’s Diarra. Bournemouth’s Kroupi. Liverpool’s Wirtz.
GAME: CHELSEA 3-2 WEST HAM
West Ham took a shock early lead when Bowen’s ball in from the right evaded the keeper and curled in (7). It was then two when Wan-Bissaka cut back for a superb Summerville first-time finish (36).
In the second half, Joao Pedro pulled a goal back when he nodded in Fofana’s cross (57). Chelsea equalised when Cucurella dived in to head home from a yard after Delap hit the bar (70). The comeback was completed in stoppage time when Ezno fired in Pedro’s cut back (90+2).
There were also good games at Man Utd, who beat Fulham 3-2 in stoppage time after being pegged back to 2-2 in stoppage time, and at Spurs, who came from two goals down at half time to draw 2-2 with Man City.
GOAL: DOMINIC SOLANKE (Tottenham) vs Man City
Conner Gallagher did very well in midfield to show anticipation to win the ball, then ride the challenge and gallop down the right. He then looked up and swung a ball into the box.
As the ball was fired into Solanke, just outside the six-yard box. With the ball just behind him, he somehow contorted his body, angled his foot and connected with the sole of his boot to somehow loop the ball out of the reach of Donnarumma and inside the far post.
There were also good goals from Sunderland’s Talbi. Bournemouth’s Kroupi and Fulham’s Kevin.
FOOL: BURNLEY
Schade was lucky his teammates performed miracles. Also, Notts Forest Williams, after his team earned a point. Newcastle & Leeds both shipped in four, and Villa lost at home to ten men.
However, languishing in second from bottom, they went to Sunderland and put up no fight whatsoever. Sunderland did exactly what they wanted, scored three, conceded none, and Burnley had no shot on goal for a terrible evening and an XG of 0.06. FOOLS!
