Our Premier League Team of the Week from the sixth matchday of the season, which saw Arsenal leave it late to beat Leicester, Spurs stun Manchester United, and Everton claim their first win of the campaign.
Premier League Team of the Week
Goalkeeper: Mads Hermansen – Leicester City
It’s hard to think of another time a goalkeeper has conceded four goals and still made our Team of the Week, but Mads Hermansen deserves his flowers. The Leicester goalkeeper came agonisingly close to earning his side a point at Arsenal with a magnificent display of shot-stopping at the Emirates.
The 24-year-old made 13 saves at the Emirates, the most a goalkeeper has made in a Premier League game since 2017.
Mads, magnificent 👏 👏 👏 pic.twitter.com/uhuwRnH1iM
— Leicester City (@LCFC) September 29, 2024
Right-back: Jurrien Timber – Arsenal
Jurrien Timber is making up for lost time in an Arsenal shirt. After an ACL injury decimated his debut season, the Dutch defender is back and thriving in Mikel Arteta’s team. Having started the season at left-back, he’s moved to a more natural role on the right of late and provided the assist for Arsenal’s opener against Leicester. His seven chances created from open play against the Foxes is the most in a Premier League game this season.
Jurriën Timber made 7 key passes from open play in Arsenal’s 4-2 win over Leicester on Saturday, a record in a Premier League match this season. 🧙♂️ pic.twitter.com/1aqEnAZJY5
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) September 29, 2024
Centre-back: Joachim Andersen – Fulham
Fulham were fairly confident the signing of Joachim Andersen was a safe bet this summer, with the Danish defender returning to the club from Crystal Palace.
Andersen has exceeded expectations so far, however, providing an upgrade on Tosin Adarabioyo. With five defensive duels won, nine completed long passes and a huge 11 clearances, the defender was near faultless in the 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest.
Centre-back: Jarrad Branthwaite – Everton
That Everton’s first win of the campaign came in Jarrad Branthwaite’s first appearance is no coincidence. Sean Dyche’s side have desperately missed the presence of the centre-back, who made five clearances against Crystal Palace and won 100% of his ground duels (4/4). A top player, there’s a reason Everton fought off interest in his services in the summer. He could be worth plenty of points to the Toffees this season.
Left-back: Micky van de Ven – Tottenham
Four centre-backs is all the rage in 2024, isn’t it?
The Dutch defender made the opening goal with his anticipation and athleticism, intercepting well before charging forward in a lightning and lung-busting run to set up Brennan Johnson. His recovery speed frustrated the hosts on the rare occasion Manchester United threatened. A unique talent – Spurs have to keep him fit
Midfield: Ryan Gravenberch – Liverpool
The renaissance continues. Liverpool’s failure to sign a number six in the summer caused initial concern but Gravenberch has grasped his audition for the role.
The Dutchman is getting better with each game and barely misplaced a pass in another performance of press resistance in Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Wolves. It’s easy to forget he’s still just 22-years-old.
2012 – Yesterday, Ryan Gravenberch was the first Premier League midfielder to contest more than 5 duels in a match with 100% success (8), make 3+ tackles with 100% success (3), and make 50+ passes at 90%+ accuracy (57/62) since Sandro for Spurs v Blackburn in April 2012. Elite. pic.twitter.com/0WzFD13stH
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 29, 2024
Midfield: Dejan Kulusevski – Tottenham
Ange Postecoglou is beginning to polish a rough diamond into a gem. Dejan Kulusevki has starred for Spurs this season and is shining in a deeper midfield role. The Swede’s mix of deft footwork and the hardiness to brush off challenges has seen him thrive in a more orthodox central midfield position, where he ran rings around Manchester United this weekend.
6 – Six of Dejan Kulusevski’s nine chances created came while Manchester United still had 11 men on the pitch (up to 42nd min). Before today, only one visiting player had ever created more than six in a full game at Old Trafford on record (7 – Florent Malouda in 2011). Magic. pic.twitter.com/AYdvH7nCIg
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 29, 2024
He created a huge nine chances in Tottenham’s 3-0 win, including three big chances, and got on the scoresheet with a delicate finish lifted over Andre Onana. Manchester United’s structural issues were exposed time and time again as Kulusevski tore them apart. Six of his nine chances created came before Bruno Fernandes’ red card for the home side, with no opposition player having ever managed more in a Premier League game at Old Trafford.
Midfield: Dwight McNeil – Everton
Everton’s season is up and running with Dwight McNeil the hero of the club’s comeback against Crystal Palace. McNeil has been a revelation since moving into a central role, where he has taken up intelligent positions and found areas to hurt teams.
His delightful double to down Palace at Goodison Park was the continuation of an excellent start to the campaign, where the 24-year-old leads the Premier League for chances created (20). Only Barcelona duo Lamine Yamal and Raphinha have created more big chances than McNeil across Europe’s top five leagues.
Some strike from Dwight… 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/wMVJAfyGlY
— Everton (@Everton) September 28, 2024
Midfield: Cole Palmer – Chelsea
Out of this world. The first footballer to score four goals in the first half of a Premier League game, he could have had six. Palmer now has three hat-tricks for Chelsea, a joint record for the club in the Premier League era alongside Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard.
That’s some company to keep, particularly when you consider the 22-year-old has played just 39 league goals for the Blues. An incredible performance.
The boy is a genius. 💫#CFC | #CHEBHA pic.twitter.com/pIuZIiKKll
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 28, 2024
Forward: Anthony Gordon – Newcastle
The news that Anthony Gordon has almost agreed a new contract at Newcastle was greeted with a tifo celebrating the fan favourite ahead of the club’s clash with Manchester City.
Gordon lived up to that billing with a performance that reminded everyone just why he’s so highly thought of in the North East. Relentless in his pressing of the champions, he won and converted the penalty for Newcastle’s equaliser at St James’ Park.
Forward: Liam Delap – Ipswich Town
Liam Delap is taking his first season at Premier League level in his powerful stride and struck twice as Ipswich held Aston Villa to a 2-2 draw at Portman Road.
The 21-year-old signed from Manchester City in a £15m deal in the summer and already looks capable of making an impact at this level. He swept in an early opener under Emiliano Martinez, before scoring the crucial equaliser after Villa had turned the game around. His second was a delightful goal as Delap’s step-over deceived Diego Carlos before a crisp low finish. The potential is clear.
Delap at the DOUBLE! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/bheqAeoSZA
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) September 29, 2024
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