in Opinion/Features

Premier League Weekly Awards: Fernandes’ finesse finish, Bedna-wrecked, Allison Blunderland

Our weekly Premier League awards honour the best – and worst – of the football action from the past seven days.

Moment of the Week

There can only be one contender, right? Manchester United’s 9-0 win wasn’t just remarkable because it was a record-equalling scoreline, but because of who it happened against: Southampton.

The Saints have been mightily impressive this season despite their lack of depth, a testament to the excellent work of manager Ralph Hasenhüttl. But that is what killed them at Old Trafford in midweek as they were missing six first-team players through injury.

When Alex Jankewitz got himself sent off for a dangerous challenge after just 79 seconds, it was always going to be a tough night for the visitors. But when Jan Bednarek also got sent off in the second-half, it felt inevitable that they would suffer the very same scoreline that they did against Leicester City in 2019.

The road back from this will be even longer and harder than before.

Player of the Week

Fernandes would probably feel rightly miffed at his exclusion here, but his performances are in the context of Manchester United playing very well as a whole. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, on the other hand, has been pulling it out of the fire lately while those around him have been utter pants.

Everton didn’t play to their best against Leeds United in midweek, but won anyway with one of their two goals coming from their star striker, while they looked absolutely hopeless in the first-half against United at the weekend.

The Toffees improved after the interval, however, and Calvert-Lewin provided the cross that eventually fell to Abdoulaye Doucouré via David De gea’s fatal parry for their first goal. His last-minute equaliser will surely go down as one of his moments of the season, too, saving his side at the death.

To make it all the more remarkable, that was his only shot of the game.

Honourable Mentions: Bruno Fernandes, Man United; Phil Foden, Man City; Jesse Lingard, West Ham United.

Goal of the Week

It was a week chock full of veritable golazos, but Bruno Fernandes, as he so often does, took the biscuit with his fabulous finish against Everton.

The goal was magnificent from start to finish, beginning with his clever dummy, continuing with his fake cross and ending with a beautiful strike of the ball. It was Cantona-like in its insouciance, Beckham-esque in its execution.

The Manchester United playmaker’s compatriot over at Wolves deserves some of the limelight too after Joao Moutinho smacked one in off the post during their 2-1 comeback win over Arsenal.

Honourable Mentions: James Ward-Prowse, Southampton (vs Newcastle); Jairo Riedewald, Crystal Palace (vs Newcastle).

The best players to play for Man United and Everton in Premier League era

Pass of the Week

Just look at Bernardo Silva‘s flicked assist for Manchester City‘s third goal of their 4-1 win over Liverpool. Marvellous.

Save of the Week

Aaron Ramsdale has endured a difficult campaign, as has every Sheffield United player, but his superb save when the game was at 1-1 in midweek was crucial. The Blades went on to beat West Brom 2-1.

A tale of two keepers: How signing Emiliano Martinez transformed Aston Villa’s fortunes

Quote of the Week

There is an absolutely doozy of a line in the below piece of audio from Aston Villa’s John McGinn.

Stat of the Week

Jesse Lingard is very good at first impressions.

Miss of the Week

Usually so reliable from the spot, Ilkay Gundogan won’t want to relive this penalty miss. He more than made up for it with a brace, though.

Ilkay Gundogan: The unlikely spearhead of Man City’s title charge

Dishonourable Mention: Willian, Arsenal (vs Wolves).

Howler of the Week 

Every goalkeeper’s brain seemed to fall out of their heads last week as there was an avalanche of mistakes from shot stoppers. Let’s begin with whatever Arsenal’s Bernd Leno was doing here against Wolves.

Then on Saturday David De Gea turned in a nightmare performance against Everton. His weak parry from a Calvert-Lewin cross fell directly to Doucouré to tap in, and he was far too slow to close down the striker in the final minute of the game, costing Man United two points. Harry Maguire was at fault as well for keeping the goal scorer onside, but De Gea ultimately had to make the stop.

But the crown goes to Alisson Becker, who made two inexplicable errors against Man City on Sunday. The Brazilian made the same mistake twice, passing it directly to the opposition to give them perfect scoring opportunities.

Dishonourable Mention: Cedric Soares’ underhit pass to Gabriel which ultimately led to Aston Villa’s winner on Saturday; Antonio Rüdiger’s own goal against Sheffield United.

Donkey of the Week

We don’t mean to pick on Jan Bednarek, but he had a truly horrific week on the pitch. Firstly, the Polish defender not only lost 9-0 to Manchester United, but he became the first player in Premier League history to score an own goal, give away a penalty and get sent off in the same match. Is there a more unwanted piece of history in football?

It didn’t get much better for him at the weekend, as Southampton conceded three times in the first-half to Newcastle United. Bednarek got skinned by Allan Saint-Maximin in the build-up for the opener, before deflecting Miguel Almiron’s shot into the net for the second. Mercifully that one was not chalked up as another own goal.

Read: Fantasy Premier League: Five must-have FPL players to own in February

See Also: Tweets of the Week: Dyche’s lookylikeys, deja vu for Southampton, and the Carlisle curry

Subscribe to our podcasts:

Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Soundcloud | Google

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Aaron RamsdaleAlissonAston VillaBernardo SilvaBernd LenoBruno FernandesDavid de GeaDominic Calvert-LewinEvertonJan BednarekJesse LingardJoao MoutinhoJohn McGinnLiverpoolManchester CityManchester UnitedNewcastle UnitedPremier LeagueSheffield UnitedSouthamptonWest Bromwich AlbionWest Ham UnitedWolves