Premier League Team of the Week: Mahrez, Ramsey, Arnautovic and Lukaku Star
Another weekend of Premier League shocks ensued as AFC Bournemouth, Newcastle United and Aston Villa all claimed points in fixtures they weren't expected to, while Stoke City beat Manchester City 2-0 at the Britannia Stadium in the Mark Hughes derby (note: not a real derby).
It's had quite the effect on our Team of the Week, with just two players from clubs currently inside the top four making the grade. We've selected the best performers from said thrilling weekend and slotted them into a workable formation—on this occasion, a 4-2-3-1.
Disagree with our selections? Hit us up in the comments section below to start the conversation.
GK: David De Gea, Manchester United
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There were a few options here, with Hugo Lloris, Tim Howard and Thibaut Courtois all putting in fine showings, but we've opted for the magnificent David de Gea after the crucial role he played in securing Manchester United a point against West Ham.
The clean sheet can be at least 60 percent accredited to him; his one-on-one stops in the first half kept his side in the game as Victor Moses and Co. threatened to run riot.
United fans thank their respective deities each weekend for the presence of this Spaniard in their side, and it's easy to see why.
RB: Cedric Soares, Southampton
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Cedric Soares returned to Southampton's XI for the draw with Aston Villa and put in an excellent showing.
The Portuguese is a superb attacker and put in some trademark excellent crosses for colleagues to get on the end of, but he also chipped in with a heavy defensive shift, totalling eight tackles, per WhoScored.com.
He stopped Scott Sinclair and Jordan Ayew from gaining traction on the wings.
CB: Winston Reid, West Ham
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Winston Reid dominated defensively at Old Trafford on Saturday, putting in key blocks and tackles to preserve a clean sheet for West Ham.
He was so disruptive Bastian Schweinsteiger ended up elbowing him in the face at a corner due to his inability to separate while man-marking, but the battle-hardened New Zealander shrugged it off and continued to frustrate.
CB: John Stones, Everton
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John Stones was an absolute rock at the back for Everton in their 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on Monday night, and he pips Scott Dann and Simon Francis to a place alongside Winston Reid in the Team of the Week.
His slick, stylish play was on show once again, waltzing forward with the ball then doubling back to shut the door. He's excellent at stymieing attacks before they even start.
"[He] glided past white shirts like Franco Baresi in the first half as the Blues dominated; then did his bread and butter work when Palace had our backs against the wall," wrote Greg O'Keeffe the Liverpool Echo. That's some praise.
LB: Erik Pieters, Stoke City
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Erik Pieters has made a remarkable 61 tackles in 15 Premier League starts this season, per WhoScored.com. Should he continue in this vein, he'll finish the season with just shy of 180—a positively monstrous number.
That tenacity was on full display on Saturday as the Dutchman bossed the left side against Manchester City, keeping Kevin De Bruyne and Bacary Sagna eerily quiet.
He has, quietly, been a standout performer in this campaign so far.
CM: Aaron Ramsey, Arsenal
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There are times when his great work flies under the radar due to poor finishing from colleagues, so it was great to see Aaron Ramsey's gritty midfield endeavour and technical brilliance rewarded with a goal and an assist on Saturday.
His clipped cross for Olivier Giroud's goal (in the right net) was a beaut, and he bagged a deserved strike himself late on after missing a few frustrating chances earlier in the game. As always, he was all energy, all action and constantly in motion.
"He could have scored three today," Arsene Wenger admitted to Arsenal's official website after the game.
CM: N'Golo Kante, Leicester City
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N'Golo Kante's excellent performance at the heart of Leicester City's midfield was a key factor in their 3-0 win over Swansea City.
The Frenchman will tackle absolutely anything that moves, turning the ball over and carrying it forward quickly. He makes quick decisions, creates counter-attacks out of nothing and set up two of the Foxes' three goals.
On Saturday, he even displayed a magnificent passing range not often seen.
Wing: Riyad Mahrez, Leicester City
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B/R's Man of the Weekend, Riyad Mahrez predictably finds his way into our Premier League Team of the Week.
His fantastic hat-trick led Leicester City to a clinical 3-0 victory over Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium, showing a cool head while one-on-one and a poacher's instinct to convert stray balls in the box.
Per Simon Jones of the Daily Mail, Manchester United are keeping tabs on the Algerian with a view to a possible January move. If this form continues, they may well have to pull the trigger.
AM: Xherdan Shaqiri, Stoke City
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Riyad Mahrez's stunning performance made him a lock for the right-wing spot in our Team of the Week, but another right-sider also deserves commendation. We're sure you'll forgive us for sliding Xherdan Shaqiri inside here.
The Swiss international finally showed us what we know he's capable of, twisting, turning and slicing his way through Manchester City's defence. He picked up two stunning assists for Marko Arnautovic's goals, displaying the perfect weight of pass for the particularly delightful second.
The question is: Can he build on this and become a consistent threat?
Wing: Marko Arnautovic, Stoke City
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Marko Arnautovic's strong season continued with a brilliant display against Manchester City on Saturday. He bagged a brace and struck the post, then came within inches of completing his hat-trick twice more.
Operating off the left-hand side, the Austrian has bulked up a little and become a more consistent physical presence from the flank. There was once a time when he was legitimately seen as a moody, wasteful player, but those days are long gone.
It's these sorts of performances that affirm the burgeoning potential within.
ST: Romelu Lukaku, Everton
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Romelu Lukaku edges out Jamie Vardy and Odion Ighalo for the lone striker's role in our Team of the Week after another thumping performance.
He struck the bar and the post as Crystal Palace hung on for dear life at times on Monday, then eventually found the net late on to secure a point for the hosts.
The Belgian moves onto 11 goals for the season so far, re-taking second place in the scoring charts after Riyad Mahrez had temporarily drawn level, per WhoScored.com.
Bench
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GK: Tim Howard, Everton
CB: Simon Francis, AFC Bournemouth
CB: Scott Dann, Crystal Palace
CM: Harry Arter, AFC Bournemouth
CM: Georginio Wijnaldum, Newcastle United
Wing: James McClean, West Bromwich Albion
ST: Odion Ighalo, Watford
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