Our weekly Premier League awards honour the best โ and worst โ of the football action from the midweek schedule.
Moment of the Week
Chelsea might not be where they want to be in the table but the Blues have been brilliant value for the neutrals this season. Epic encounters with Spurs and Manchester City have been among the games of the season and another Premier League classic was added to the Chelsea collection on Thursday evening.
On a night of unadulterated Premier League drama, Chelsea and Manchester United went head-to-head in a gripping game at Stamford Bridge. The flaws and inconsistencies of each team made the recipe for a feast of football, as Chelsea rode a rollercoaster of emotions in West London.
Having blown a 2-0 lead to trail heading into stoppage time, Cole Palmer scored a late, late double – completing his hat-trick – to seal a 4-3 win for the Blues. It was astonishing viewing, with Palmer again at the centre of Chelsea’s best moments this season.
UNBELIEVABLE!! ????
Cole Palmer steals the show to complete his hat trick and put Chelsea back in the lead! ????
???? @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/2zEcknYHCD
โ Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 4, 2024
Where would they be without him?
Player of the Week
That man, again.
Cole Palmer has been a revelation in a Chelsea shirt this season and celebrated his finest night to date on Thursday evening. The 21-year-old scored his first Premier League hat-trick to seal a dramatic 4-3 win for the Blues against Manchester United – the team he grew up supporting.
As ever, he was everywhere for Chelsea, while he now has more league goal involvements than any other u-23 player in Europe, ahead of a certain Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka.
Pack your passport, Cole. You’re going to the Euros.
Since the start of the 2016/17 season at least, only one player has attempted 8+ shots and created 8+ chances in a single Premier League game:
โ 9 shots
โ 8 chances created
โ 5 shots on target
โ 3 goalsCole Palmer vs. Man Utd (04 April 2024). ???? pic.twitter.com/yPdGkbaUpI
โ Squawka (@Squawka) April 4, 2024
We can’t complete this feature without mentioning Phil Foden, however, who must surely thought this accolade was wrapped up heading into the final fixture of the midweek action.
Foden ensured Manchester City upped the ante on title rivals Arsenal and Liverpool with a wonderful individual performance against Aston Villa.
The 23-year-old recorded his second Premier League hat-trick of the season as the Citizens cruised to a 4-1 win at the Etihad, the latest purring performance from a player in red-hot form this season.
Foden’s free-kick restored City’s lead after Jhon Duran had cancelled out Rodri’s opener before the latter turned provider for Foden’s second with some intricate footwork on the edge of the box.
???? @PhilFoden ???? pic.twitter.com/0a7UtCkvGK
โ Manchester City (@ManCity) April 4, 2024
The best was saved for last, as Foden fired a stunning strike into the top corner (more on that to come later). It’s now 21 goals in all competitions for Foden this season, who in this mood is one of the most watchable talents anywhere in Europe.
Goal of the Week
A Liverpool midfielder arriving onto a loose ball to thunder in a match-winning goal?
Those in the Kop End might have been rubbing their eyes thinking this was the second coming of Steven Gerrard, as Alexis Mac Allister added another stunning strike to his collection.
You don’t save those.
TAKE A BOW, ALEXIS MAC ALLISTER! ????????
???? @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/pPoFkYm47u
โ Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 4, 2024
Phil Foden earns the runners-up accolade as he sealed his hat-trick with a thumping third at the Etihad. Frustrated at not winning a foul, he bounced up, regained possession, and drove an unstoppable strike into the top corner.
A special goal, from a special talent.
A sensational way to seal the hat-trick! ????@PhilFoden โจ pic.twitter.com/yFtRPAln0f
โ Manchester City (@ManCity) April 3, 2024
Assist of the Week
Some silky contenders for this prize, so why not celebrate them all?
Top spot has to go to Antony, after this outrageous assist for Alejandro Garnacho at Chelsea. The Brazilian might be criticised for being almost comically one-footed, but when his left peg can do this, who cares?
Alejandro Garnacho completes the comeback!! ????
From 2-0 down, Man Utd now lead 3-2 at Stamford Bridge… ????
???? @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/uy6ZFpt6Ka
โ Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 4, 2024
Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White also earns our applause after a fabulous outside-of-the-boot ball of his own, into Callum Hudson-Odoi against Fulham.
The @Morgangibbs27 assist ????
The @Calteck10 finish ????Starting the night off in style! ????โ???? pic.twitter.com/85Jkt0GZKW
โ Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) April 2, 2024
And finally, an honourable mention for Rodri, who set up a second for Phil Foden during Manchester City’s win over Aston Villa in elastic fashion. More than just a midfield anchor.
The assist from Rodrigo ????โ????
The finish from @PhilFoden ????A wonderfully worked goal for last night’s @Sure Move of the Match ???? pic.twitter.com/FI6jNSmyCF
โ Manchester City (@ManCity) April 4, 2024
Save of the Week
Jordan Pickford handled the heckles of the Newcastle crowd to produce a string of saves and earn Everton a point at St James’ Park.
The best of the lot came as he sprawled to stop Harvey Barnes when a goal seemed certain. England’s number one goalkeeper, for a reason.
Superb, @JPickford1! ???? pic.twitter.com/Ho0QPWYncq
โ Everton (@Everton) April 3, 2024
Stat of the Week
Gareth Southgate really does have an embarrassment of riches at his disposal this summer.
And Cole Palmer has since made it FIVE.
5 – Phil Foden is the fifth player to reach 20+ goals and 10+ assists while playing for a side in Europe’s big five leagues this season (all competitions), with four of those five being English players (Kane, Bellingham, Watkins and Foden). Lions. pic.twitter.com/CbgoXmQ6ld
โ OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 3, 2024
Donkey of the Week
A bad moment for Sheffield United goalkeeper Ivo Grbic, who gift-wrapped the lead for Liverpool at Anfield.
The Blades battled well against the league leaders but gave themselves a mountain to climb after this awful error.
Ivo Grbiฤ ???????????????????? Darwin Nunez a goal!
The Sheffield United goalkeeper won’t want to watch that one back ????
???? @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/Z0aKTngap1
โ Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 4, 2024
Darwin Nunez has scored 18 goals in all competitions this season, none have been easier.
Read –ย Ranking the five best left-wingers in the world right now
See more –ย Five classic games between Chelsea and Manchester United
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