Football went back into full throttle with the return of the Premier League. While the weekend itself was rather low-scoring, the quality of football was still high and it was more than enough to keep our eyes fixed on the screens after the International Break. Some rather interesting results with Arsenal and Liverpool’s games made the weekend all the more memorable. It wouldn’t have been possible without some terrific performances. Here’s a look at the team of the week.
Formation : 4-3-3
GK: Jordan Pickford(Everton)
While Everton are still not far off from the relegation zone, this weekend helped alleviate their situation quite a week. One of the stars of their 2-0 win against West Ham was Jordan Pickford, who put up a great performance after a rough start to the season. The English goalkeeper looked very sharp throughout the game through his reflexes and stopping power. He made 4 saves and ended up with a clean sheet after such a long time.
LB: Marcos Alonso (Chelsea)
Marcos Alonso put up a good performance after a long time and it was enough to push Chelsea into the top 4. Alonso was very strong when it came to Chelsea’s game and was their lone goal scorer. He managed 2 shots on target and even in defending he was very strong, with 3 successful tackles in the game.
CB: Ibrahim Amadou (Norwich)
This week proved to be a ray of hope for Norwich. Even though they still drew and are in the Relegation spot, it’s an improvement over their last three games. Ibrahim Amadou was the reason why they maintained the 0-0 draw, especially against the likes of Callum Wilson, Solanke and King later on. He was very aware throughout his game showing a lot of physicalities as well. He was great in the air, winning 5 aerial battles. He made 3 interceptions and a whopping 13 clearances.
CB: Jack O’Connell (Sheffield United)
Sheffield pulled an incredible upset by winning 1-0 against Arsenal and Jack O’Connell was at the heart of that upset. He won 1 aerial ball and even managed a tackle. His game-sense was sharp in the defence. He was clever and opportune enough to make the assist that led to the lone goal of the game.
RB: Joao Cancelo (Manchester City)
After the upset that was the 2-0 loss against Wolves, City are back in shape with their 2-0 victory against Crystal Palace. New Transfer Joao Cancelo was one of the best players of the game. While he was strong on the attack as expected, his defence was surprisingly good as well given that he’s often criticized for his lack of defensive prowess. He managed 3 tackles in the game along with 1 dribble. His passing accuracy was at 90%. He even managed 3 clearances and a shot on target. His technicality was off the charts in the recent game.
CM: Jorginho (Chelsea)
Jorginho continues to dazzle this season with another crisp performance, possibly his best so far. He was passing and defence were both operating at peak capacity and a large part as to why Chelsea walked away with 3 points. He completed a staggering 5 tackles along with 2 clearances. He also managed 1 key pass with an accuracy of 93%. He looked sharp in the game and his play on defence was composed while his offence was clinical.
CM: Tom Cleverley (Watford)
Watford was able to hold it’s own against a big-name club after the humiliating 8-0 loss against Manchester City still looming in everyone’s minds. Former Man U man Tom Cleverley looked very sharp with his general read and game-sense. His defending was especially sharp. He managed 4 tackles, 5 clearances and 4 interceptions. He even completed 2 dribbles in the game showcasing that he was really giving it his all.
CM: Abdoulaye Doucoure’ ( Watford)
Another Watford man makes the list. Quite surprising for a team that is dead last in the Premier League. But the team still stood up fought well against Tottenham. He was strong on both attack and defence. He completed 4 tackles and dribbles in the game. His positioning was fantastic and that’s what enabled him to put his team in the lead very early on. Aside from the goal, he also managed 1 key pass in the game.
LW: Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)
After a few weeks of uncertain football, Raheem Sterling is back in full swing. He was masterful in the offense with 3 dribbles and 4 shots. His dribbling and attack, in general, was very strong and it was nice to see those familiar and tight lane changes after the long international break. His passing was even stronger and his awareness and placement were clinical. He managed 3 key passes and his lone assist was one of the best plays of the week. An absolutely inspired chip into David Silva who put the ball past the keeper and into the net. It was a joy to watch.
RW: Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea)
Callum Hudson-Odoi showed why he’s one of the most talked-about youngsters in football. He was incredibly impactful in the offense. His balls from the wing were very precise, showcasing just how much of an offensive threat he can be. As a result, he managed 5 key passes throughout the game. His dribbling was strong as well and he was able to complete 3 of them. Most importantly he managed the lone assist of the game. His clever ball into an open Marcos Alonso and a thumping shot from the Spaniard was all it took for London team to rake in 3 crucial points and a climb into the top 4.
CF: Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)
Pep Guardiola played his rotation card yet again as Gabriel Jesus started and played to the entire match instead of Sergio Aguero. Unfortunately for Crystal Palace, it worked like a charm. The Brazilian was both ferocious and clever on the attack, showing just why he’s at a club like Manchester City in the first place. His positioning was sharp and showed just how much sense he has when it comes to reading plays. He completed 5 dribbles in the game as well as 4 shots on target. He also scored the first goal of the game with a well-executed header courtesy of a brilliant cross from Bernardo Silva and an equally clever piece of positioning from the 22-year old. Jesus is simply showing day by day that he will be the perfect replacement as Sergio Aguero gets older (hopefully not too soon).
