Premier League Team of Week: Kouyate, Ivanovic, Mane and Kane Excel
Welcome to the 24th installment of our Premier League Team of the Week for the 2014-15 season.
We analysed every game to pick out a star XI from the weekend's fixtures, choosing the best players to form a viable formation (in this case, a 4-4-2).
Harry Kane leads the selection after a match-winning display in the north London derby, but who else will join him? Southampton, Aston Villa, Burnley, and Hull City are represented in a week where the "smaller" clubs boasted strong individual performances.
Disagree with our selections? Hit us up in the comments section below to start the conversation!
GK: Fraser Forster, Southampton
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Both Hugo Lloris and David De Gea gave our selection a decent run for his money here, but neither of the two mentioned kept clean sheets. Fraser Forster did.
He produced a miraculous save to deny Charlie Austin from close range, flicking his diverted effort over the bar with one paw as he strived for his 11th shutout this Premier League season.
It wasn't his busiest day, but Southampton left yet another Premier League stadium with a maximum three-point haul thanks in part to their uber-reliable goalkeeper.
RB: Branislav Ivanovic, Chelsea
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Aston Villa put Chelsea under a fair amount of pressure on Saturday, and Branislav Ivanovic shone as both a game-winner and a defensive rock throughout.
His oddly-struck volley found the top corner and gave the Blues the lead in the second half after the home side had levelled, and from there he shut the door firmly on any more attempts on goal.
Particularly impressive was his dealing with substitute Scott Sinclair, who for all his pace could not find a way around the Serbian even if his life had depended on it.
CB: Cheikhou Kouyate, West Ham
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Cheikhou Kouyate doesn't make our selection solely because of his exceptional, juggling goal on Sunday—he was brilliant in defence too.
Naturally a holding midfielder or sometimes box-to-box, Kouyate also has vast experience at centre-back and filled in against Manchester United due to the injury crisis currently being suffered at Upton Park.
He aced it, and Sam Allardyce will likely have no qualms playing him there again if needs be.
CB: Jose Fonte, Southampton
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Despite Ronald Koeman's re-shuffled back line and subsequent injury to stand-in left-back Matt Targett shaking things up further, Southampton stood firm and claimed a clean sheet against Queens Park Rangers.
Jose Fonte was predictably at the centre of all things good and even managed to smash Rob Green's woodwork at the other end. He's been one of the most consistent Premier League centre-backs this season.
LB: David Meyler, Hull City
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Hull City procured a famous 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. Yaya Toure or not, grabbing a point off Manchester City is stellar, stellar work.
David Meyler slotted into a slightly unfamiliar role of left-wing-back but held very firm, and he even managed to scoot up the pitch to score the opener and put his side, unfathomably, ahead.
The goal the Tigers eventually conceded was from a harshly awarded free-kick.
MID: Ryan Mason, Tottenham Hotspur
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Ryan Mason put in a masterful all-action shift in the north London derby, registering touches all over the park and dominating in midfield against some star-studded opposition.
His tenacity and work rate allowed Spurs to gain total control of the game, and he was able to nullify the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla by matching them physically and forcing them to play a different style of game.
Someone else in the Tottenham Hotspur setup not named Harry Kane is likely to be getting a call from Roy Hodgson soon.
MID: Carles Gil, Aston Villa
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Aston Villa still struggled to create enough actual shots on goal, but they worried Chelsea for long periods on Saturday, and key to their good performance was Carles Gil.
The Spaniard has been brilliant since signing and looks a real spark for the Midlands club. His shimmy and cross for Jores Okore's goal was breathtakingly agile and absurdly clever.
He's the key to survival for Paul Lambert.
MID: Sadio Mane, Southampton
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Sadio Mane produced a superb display against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday and fumbled home the winning goal at the death. It was a strike that allowed Saints to move back into third place in the Premier League.
Ronald Koeman opted to play both Eljero Elia and Mane from the start with Dusan Tadic once again on the bench, and in a squad where competition for places is obscenely high, Mane continues to emerge as the most superior option.
MID: Jordon Ibe, Liverpool
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Jordon Ibe crowned his second Premier League start—and his first since very late last season against Queens Park Rangers—with a great performance in the revered Merseyside derby.
His trickery, pace and agility, combined with his fearlessness and willingness to burst forward, made Everton's life hell down Ibe's chosen right flank.
He struck the woodwork with a magnificent effort too.
ST: Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur
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What a header!
The world paused to applaud Harry Kane's remarkable winning goal in the north London derby on Saturday, marvelling at the looping, powerful and accurate effort.
His earlier equaliser was a typical striker's goal, but the second effort affirmed his burgeoning class. Usually we say a player needs to keep his feet grounded, but in this scenario perhaps the fans (of Spurs and England!) need to more!
ST: Danny Ings, Burnley
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Danny Ings was on fire this weekend, leading his Burnley side into a two-goal lead against West Bromwich Albion at Turf Moor.
The Baggies' defensive structure looked unusually poor given it's a Tony Pulis team, granted, but Ings was relentless throughout the first half and scooped up one goal and one assist for Ashley Barnes.
Coming just a week after Liverpool's failed pursuit of him in the January transfer window, it was one hell of a way to remind the world of his talent.
