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Premier League Weekend: Heroes and Villains

It’s that time of the weekend again, when we here at The Football Faithful look at the best and worse performers from the weekend’s Premier League action.

Here are our three heroes and villains…

Hero: Matt Targett 

If you’re gonna score your first goal for your new club, then why not do it the 94th minute to earn your side all three points!? The scenes at Villa Park as the stadium erupted to Matt Target’s dramatic, last-gasp winner were pretty epic to say the least.

That’s the first time that Aston Villa have managed back-to-back wins in the Premier League since 2015.

Villain: Aaron Mooy 

Aaron Mooy wins the ‘goon of the weekend’ gong after his idiotic lunge saw him receive the most obvious second yellow you’ll see all season.

With his side ahead and looking to assert some control on the game, the Australian slid in with less grace than an intoxicated Charlie Adam, upending Jack Grealish and duly being given his marching orders.

That aforementioned late winner will sting all the more for Brighton fans as their wait for win at Villa Park goes on.

See also – Tweets of the Week: Delirious Zinchenko, Messi’s timeout, Coleen’s Brexit deal

Hero: Gylfi Sigurdsson

A Gylfi Sigurdsson screamer helped lift the gloom that has engulfed Goodison Park so far this season. The Iceland international’s stoppage-time strike against West Ham was enough to confirm Everton‘s third victory of the season and it really was a peach of a strike.

Sigurdsson sidestepped on desperate lunge before shifting the ball on to his favoured right foot before lashing it home right into the top bin, cool as you like. It was a lovely effort worthy of winning any match.

That’s 21 goals now from outside the box for the Ice Man since his Premier League bow in 2012. Show off!

Villain: Kiko Femenía

The Spanish full-back had only been on the pitch for about 15 minutes for Watford when he helped to serve up a most undeserved equaliser for Spurs.

The defender watched in bemusement as a dipping, half-cleared ball drifted over his shoulder before dropping right in front of him in the box. All he had to do was show a bit of composure, take a touch and hammer it clear. Instead, the blathering Femenia attempted a weird chest/header hybrid before missing the ball altogether. Veteran keeper Ben Foster rushed out to try and deal it, only for him to also completely miss the ball, allowing Alli to score one of the easiest goals you’re likely to see.

Even though VAR tried and failed to chalk it off, it was an altogether spectacular mess from the bottom side who look good value for their lowly position on this evidence.

See also – Keane urges Manchester United to sign Harry Kane

Hero: Gabriel Jesus

The Brazilian youngster is, outrageously, only fit for the Manchester City bench on many a weekend. However, to the eternal frustration of Fantasy Football players everywhere, Pep Guardiola threw the 22-year-old in at Selhurst Park and then revelled in his acute tactical brilliance as his side dismantled the seemingly 85 man strong Crystal Palace defence with two brilliant goals in two minutes.

Jesus was at the heart of pretty much everything good that City did on Saturday night. His link-up play was electric and he took his goal superbly too.

Is there a better reserve striker anywhere else at the moment right now?

Villain: VAR

Let’s face it, VAR, it’s pants isn’t it!

Another weekend of epic marginal offside calls was endured by many a fan up and down the country as the once heralded technology seemed to go out of its way to outdo all of the terrible referees that it is supposed to safeguard against.

From Jan Vertonghen’s blatant foul on Gerard Deulofeu to Wilf Zaha’s clumsy trip on Kevin De Bruyne sat Selhurst Park, not to mention the bemusing scenes at Old Trafford on Sunday; it seems to be there only to vindicate poor calls from referees and leaving most fans asking the legitimate question – what’s the bloody point of it?

At least refs can now enjoy not being the most loathed figures in the game for once!

See also – Tactical Analysis – Manchester United 1-1 Liverpool