Our weekly Premier League awards honour the best – and worst – of the football action from the weekend.
Moment of the Week
Everton’s unbroken record as a top-flight club will extend into a 70th season after Abdoulaye Doucoure added his name to the list of last-day legends who have saved a Toffees team in trouble.
Barry Horne and Gareth Farrelly etched their name into Everton folklore with stunning last-day goals to save Everton from relegation in the nineties and Doucoure’s rocket is another strike few at Goodison Park will ever forget.
The French midfielder was frozen out of the side under former manager Frank Lampard, but has returned under Sean Dyche to have a major role in the club’s climb out of the relegation places. He saved his greatest contribution for last, with this stunning strike to preserve the club’s Premier League status.
“WHAT A HIT! WHAT A GOAL!” ????@abdoudoucoure16 with the moment that mattered. ???? pic.twitter.com/C8ekxY4fil
— Everton (@Everton) May 28, 2023
Player of the Week
Harry Kane ended the season with a brilliant centre-forward performance in Tottenham’s 4-1 win at Leeds, with the England captain at his best in what many feel could be his last appearance for the club.
Kane scored twice and scored another as Spurs condemned Leeds to relegation, opening the scoring after sweeping home from Son Heung-min’s pass. The 29-year-old then turned provider to set up Pedro Porro for Spurs’ second of the afternoon, before scoring his second with a delightful finish past Joel Robles into the far corner.
Getting us off to a dream start ✨@HKane ???? pic.twitter.com/HUBChntPSN
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 28, 2023
Kane’s brace took him to 30 goals in the Premier League this season, the joint-best return of his career to date. He is the only player in the competition’s history to have scored 30 goals in more than one 38-game Premier League season and has done so in a team as inconsistent and flawed as Spurs.
If he does depart this summer, Spurs fans will fear the worst over the club’s progress. Few, however, could begrudge a player of Kane’s talent the chance to truly compete at the top level.
Goal of the Week
Doucoure’s drive to save Everton should take this award, but having claimed our Moment of the Week accolade we’ve decided to honour Kamaldeen Sulemana for his second in Southampton’s 4-4 draw with Liverpool.
The Ghana international – clocked as the fastest footballer at the 2022 World Cup – has struggled to make the desired impact at Southampton since arriving from Rennes in January, but showed his potential with a brilliant brace to open his account for the club on the final day.
His second was superb, as the 21-year-old picked up possession deep inside his own half before powering towards the Liverpool box and firing past Caoimhin Kelleher.
Miss of the Week
Aleksandr Mitrovic’s poor record from the spot continued as Fulham lost at Manchester United, with the forward’s tame effort saved by David de Gea at Old Trafford.
The Serbian has had a fine season at Fulham, but has now missed four penalties this season. No player has ever missed more in a single Premier League campaign.
4 – Aleksandar Mitrovic has failed to score four penalties in the Premier League this season (eight taken), the most by a player in a single campaign in the competition. Jitters. pic.twitter.com/56FEdNTH05
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 28, 2023
Stat of the Week
Harry Kane is the only player in Premier League history to have scored 30+ goals in more than one 38-game season. Incredibly, on neither occasion has that total been enough to win the Golden Boot.
No other player has ever scored 30 goals in a season and not finished as the league’s leading scorer.
Harry Kane is the only player to score 30+ goals in a 38-game PL season and not win the Golden Boot, now it’s happened twice:
2017/18
◉ Mohamed Salah
◎ Harry Kane2022/23
◉ Erling Haaland
◎ Harry KaneTwo record-breaking tallies were needed to beat him. ???? pic.twitter.com/l4Nx0nEvzD
— Squawka (@Squawka) May 28, 2023
Tweet of the Week
There was a huge outpour of relief when the full-time whistle blew at Everton this weekend, with safety secured on the final weekend.
Perhaps no player was as relieved as Alex Iwobi, who admitted this week his garden was in jeopardy had Everton suffered a first relegation since 1951.
Iwobi’s gardener if Everton go down https://t.co/R04IADdaM5 pic.twitter.com/218p3evapZ
— Andy Ha (@AndyHa_) May 26, 2023
Donkey of the Week
Leeds will spend next season in the Championship after a dreadful season at Elland Road, one symbolised with a sorry showing in the club’s must-win final showdown with Tottenham
Leeds had poor performers across the pitch, but defensively were a mess as Spurs scored inside two minutes and cruised to a 4-1 win at Elland Road.
Rasmus Kristensen endured a torrid time with the Danish defender poor in possession and easily exposed defensively. Leeds’ recruitment has not been good enough and is a key reason behind their relegation. A rebuild is required if the club are to bounce back immediately from the second tier.
Watch Rasmus Kristensen during this. He literally shows him towards goal. Just stand between the ball and the goal. My one year old probably would’ve defended that better and he can’t walk #lufc https://t.co/1Fb1mKLLUh
— Chris (@__Chris22) May 28, 2023
Read – Premier League Team of the Week – Final day
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