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Premier League Team of the Week – Matchday 10

Harry Diamond
By Harry Diamond
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Each week we delve through the Premier League’s weekend action and compile our divisional Team of the Week from the fixtures’ finest performances.

Arsenal remain top of the Premier League after an entertaining win over Liverpool at the Emirates, while Manchester City remained in touch with the league leaders after thrashing Southampton.

Elsewhere, Graham Potter’s turnaround of Chelsea continued, while there were important wins for the likes of Bournemouth, West Ham, Spurs and Manchester United.

Here is The Football Faithful’s Premier League Team of the Week.

Goalkeeper: Hugo Lloris – Tottenham

After a mistake in last weekend’s north London derby defeat at Arsenal, this was an impressive response from the Spurs captain.

Lloris was alert to danger and quick off his line at Brighton, as Spurs earned a 1-0 win at the Amex Stadium to keep in touch with the Premier League leaders. The France international made smart saves from Moises Caicedo and Danny Welbeck as Brighton increased the pressure towards the end of the first half.

In what has been a tough week off the pitch for Spurs, he held up a touching tribute to the the late Gian Piero Ventrone at full-time.

Right-back: Kieran Trippier – Newcastle

Trippier’s right foot continues to provide consistent quality from right-back for Newcastle and he was a constant outlet for the Magpies against Brentford this weekend.

The 32-year-old created the game’s opening goal with a superb delivery for Bruno Guimaraes, after a well-worked set-piece was set back to the England international to cross.

Trippier has been a fine signing for the Magpies and leads the Premier League for chances created from set-pieces this season (11). It is the kind of ammunition that Newcastle’s forward players will relish this season.

Centre-back: Joachim Andersen – Crystal Palace

Joachim Andersen returned to the Crystal Palace side this weekend and produced a strong showing as the Eagles edged Leeds at Selhurst Park.

The Denmark international is crucial to Patrick Vieira’s side, both for his defensive leadership and ability to progress the ball forward. Andersen was alert to the danger of Leeds’ marauding runs from deep as Palace secured a narrow 2-1 win, while his expansive passing range allowed the Eagles to spring from defence to attack at pace.

Centre-back: Kalidou Koulibaly – Chelsea

Koulibaly looked assured in the centre of a back four after some less convincing performances of late and stepped up in the absence of Thiago Silva to lead Chelsea’s backline.

Koulibaly was a dominant presence as former Chelsea favourite Diego Costa was kept in check, leading the clash for duels won (9), tackles made (5) and aerial duels won (4).

There will be tougher tests than a Wolves side short of goals, but this was a commanding performance from the Senegal captain and one he can build on from here.

Left-back: Joao Cancelo – Manchester City

Just a brilliant, brilliant footballer.

Cancelo could conceivably feature in any area of the pitch and thrive, such is his intelligence and technique with the ball at his feet. The Portugal international was heavily involved in three goals as Manchester City thrashed Southampton 4-0 at the Etihad and it could have been more had Riyad Mahrez connected with a now trademark trivela cross.

Southampton couldn’t deal with Cancelo, who exploited the freedom he was provided. He opened the scoring with a fine individual goal, as he skipped past James Ward-Prowse with ease before firing home a low finish. Cancelo added an assist to a fine afternoon’s work, teeing up Erling Haaland for his customary goal after another raid forward.

Midfield: Bruno Guimaraes – Newcastle

Bruno Guimaraes is already a huge fan favourite at Newcastle with his arrival looking more and more like a huge coup with each performance.

Against Brentford he ran the show as Newcastle recorded the biggest win of the Eddie Howe era and their biggest at St James’ Park since 2016, as the Bees were thrashed 5-1. At the centre of the performance was Guimaraes, whose ability in congested spaces and range of passing left Brentford indecisive over whether to go tight or stand off.

The 24-year-old is a class act and took the game away from Brentford, with seven duels won, 100% of his take-ons completed and two goals. His first was a header at the back post to open the scoring, before driving forward and firing home a low finish to restore Newcastle’s two-goal lead after the Bees briefly threatened a comeback. The Magpies might have unrivalled riches under the new regime, but Guimaraes has proven a bargain.

Midfield: Mason Mount – Chelsea

Chelsea continued their improvement under Graham Potter against Wolves, and Mason Mount appears to be one of the major beneficiaries from the tactical tweaks of the new man in charge.

Mount has had a slow start to the season but produced his best performance of the campaign to date this weekend, with the England midfielder full of incision and creativity in an advanced role.

Mount’s floated ball was headed home for the opener by Kai Havertz, before a neat one-two and clever reverse pass played in Christian Pulisic to double Chelsea’s lead.

The 23-year-old’s assists were his first of the season and Mount will hope his recent upturn can continue as he looks to earn a place in England’s World Cup side.

Right-wing: Bukayo Saka – Arsenal

Bright and lively, as ever, as Arsenal returned to the top of the Premier League with a 3-2 win over Liverpool at the Emirates.

Mikel Arteta’s maturing side came through a tough examination in north London, with Saka at the double to down Jurgen Klopp’s side. The England international posed problems for Kostas Tsimikas all afternoon with his direct runs in behind, while he ghosted in to get himself on the scoresheet just before half-time as he turned in Gabriel Martinelli’s cross at the back post.

The 21-year-old then showed composure to step up and convert a late penalty, with Saka symbolic of an Arsenal team packed full of confidence at present.

Left-wing: Gabriel Martinelli – Arsenal

Jurgen Klopp has long talked up the ability of Gabriel Martinelli and watched on as a forward he called the ‘talent of the century’ tore his team apart at the Emirates.

Martinelli was unplayable at times with Liverpool unable to get to grips with the Brazilian, whose electric pace and direct style tormented the Reds’ backline. It took less than a minute for Martinelli to open the scoring, as he made no mistake with the finish after his dart in behind was picked out by Martin Odegaard. He then turned provider on the stroke of half-time, as he chopped inside Jordan Henderson and Trent Alexander-Arnold and picked out Bukayo Saka at the back post.

Luiz Diaz, Joe Gomez and Alexander-Arnold all struggled with the bustle and burst of the 21-year-old, with the latter a half-time withdrawal after a tough opening period. Much had been made about the pre-game battle between the duo but there was only one winner.

Forward: Phil Foden – Manchester City

Fast becoming irreplaceable to this Manchester City side, a huge statement given the depth of quality in Pep Guardiola’s squad.

Foden added another goal and assist to his Manchester derby hat-trick last weekend as City cruised to three points against Southampton, with the 22-year-old having now moved to nine goal involvements in nine Premier League fixtures so far this season.

Foden claimed the assist for Joao Cancelo’s opener, while he came close to a second after Erling Haaland crashed an effort against the post. His goal was a sublime finish, as he delicately lifted the ball over the onrushing Gavin Bazunu for his sixth of the season.

Forward: Gianluca Scamacca – West Ham

West Ham’s 3-1 win over Fulham could quite easily have been an afternoon to forget for Scamacca, who missed a number of early opportunities at the London Stadium.

The Italian, however, appears to have that magnetic knack of finding himself in the right area and took arguably his most difficult chance of the game with a wonderful lifted finish over Bernd Leno for the match-winner.

It’s now six goals in seven starts in all competitions this season for Scamacca, who was sharp and full of confidence for the Hammers. His hold-up play was excellent at times as he battled hard as a lone forward.

West Ham have had a somewhat cursed recent luck with centre-forward signings, but the 23-year-old appears to have all the ingredients to be a firm favourite.

Read – Iconic Performances: Peak Henry inspires Arsenal to Liverpool comeback

Read Also – 90s Hitmen: Raul – Real Madrid and Champions League royalty

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