Sports Mole picks its Premier League Team of the Week for gameweek 10, including Moises Caicedo, Dominic Solanke and Antoine Semenyo.
Another round of Premier League fixtures is done and dusted and Liverpool have climbed to the top of the table after coming from behind to beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 at Anfield on Saturday night.
That is because reigning champions Manchester City suffered their first defeat of the campaign away against Bournemouth, going down 2-1 at the Vitality Stadium, while title rivals Arsenal were also beaten last weekend, suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United.
One of the surprise packages in the Premier League this season are Nottingham Forest, who have climbed above Arsenal into third place after securing a comfortable 3-0 home win over 10-man West Ham United.
Chelsea complete the top four after salvaging a point in a drab 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford, while Aston Villa have slipped to sixth after losing 4-1 away against seventh-placed Tottenham Hotspur.
Newly-promoted Ipswich Town were denied their first victory of the season by Leicester City, who scored a stoppage-time equaliser to rescue a 1-1 draw at Portman Road, while Wolverhampton Wanderers are also winless after being held to a 2-2 draw by Crystal Palace at Molineux.
However, Southampton are now off the mark after securing a slender 1-0 home win over Everton, while Brentford‘s wait to win away from home this season goes on, after they conceded twice in stoppage time to lose 2-1 at West London rivals Fulham on Monday night.
Here, Sports Mole selects its Team of the Week for the latest round of Premier League fixtures.
DEFENCE
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Aaron Ramsdale was key to helping Southampton keep a clean sheet in their win over Everton, but he is pipped by Brentford’s Mark Flekken for a place between the sticks in our TOTW. The German made a total of 10 saves against Fulham – more than any other goalkeeper in gameweek 10 – and without his presence, the Bees would have suffered a heavier defeat at Craven Cottage.
Ola Aina has been one of many standout players for high-flying Nottingham Forest this term and he capped another impressive performance against West Ham with a stunning long-range strike into the top corner. The Nigerian also completed five ground duels during a solid defensive display to help Forest keep their fourth clean sheet of the season.
Edging out Marcos Senesi for a centre-back spot in our TOTW is Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, whose close-range finish against Wolves salvaged a point for the Eagles, while he also completed seven clearances, five ground duels, three aerial duels and boasted the highest pass completion rate (86%) of any player on the pitch at Molineux.
One of three left-backs in our TOTW is Ipswich’s Leif Davis, who ran his socks off down the left flank, created numerous chances, made five ground duels, four tackles, three clearances and fired in a fantastic left-footed volley across the face of goal on his 100th appearance for the Tractor Boys.
Lewis Hall was another who impressed at left-back in gameweek 10 and was deservedly named Man of the Match following Newcastle’s win over Arsenal. While Hall regularly posed a threat going forward, he particularly excelled from a defensive perspective, making eight clearances, seven ball recoveries, completed six ground duels, five tackles, four aerial duels and three blocks, while he also made a crucial clearance off the line in the second half.
Completing our five-man defence is Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, who assisted both of the Cherries goals in their historic win over Man City, including a brilliant cross curled towards Evanilson for his goal. The Hungarian also completed 29 of his 30 passes, won four ground duels and made three clearances. Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas – another left-back – also deserves a special mention for his performance against Brighton, but he narrowly misses out on this occasion.
MIDFIELD
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The best player on the pitch in Man United’s dull draw with Chelsea was Blues midfielder Moises Caicedo, who salvaged a point for the West Londoners with a brilliant volley fired low into the bottom corner. That strike capped a superb all-round display from the Ecuadorian, who also made three tackles, three interceptions, three ball recoveries, two clearances and completed 86% of his passes at Old Trafford.
Caicedo is partnered in our midfield by Wolves’ tenacious Brazilian Joao Gomes, who once again put in a tough-tackling display in the middle of the pitch (winning 10 ground duels) and drove the Old Gold forward in the second half, before placing a composed finish into the bottom corner to put the hosts ahead against Palace.
ATTACK
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Callum Hudson-Odoi and Matheus Cunha were oh-so close to making it into our TOTW, but they have just missed out on this occasion. Instead, Antoine Semenyo is one of three forwards who makes the cut after starring in Bournemouth’s win over Man City, scoring a superb opener after setting his shot with a “world-class” touch according to ex-Premier League striker Dimitar Berbatov. Semenyo also completed more take-ons (six) than any other top-flight player this week, created three chances, won 11 ground duels and three tackles at the Vitality Stadium.
Following a poor spell in front of goal, Dominic Solanke laced up his shooting boots and scored twice in the second half of Tottenham’s comeback win over Aston Villa. His first goal was a delicate chip over Emiliano Martinez after being played through by Dejan Kulusevski, before he burst into the box to smash home a second from close range. Solanke also won a foul on the edge of the area that led to James Maddison scoring from the resulting free kick in stoppage time.
Completing our three-man frontline is Fulham’s hero Harry Wilson, who came off the substitute bench to score twice in stoppage time to help the Cottagers snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in dramatic fashion, netting his first with an improvised scorpion-kick-like finish before directing his second, albeit with his shoulder, into the top corner – two huge game-changing contributions at the death.
Sports Mole’s Premier League Team of the Week (5-2-3): Flekken; Aina, Guehi, Davis, Hall, Kerkez; Caicedo, J. Gomes; H. Wilson, Solanke, Semenyo
