Premier League Team of the Week: Fabregas, Pelle, Mane and Kane Shine
The final Premier League Team of the Week before a rather untimely international break is packed with great performers.
The competition for places was so tough that not a single Manchester derby participant made the cut, no West Ham United players feature and, incredibly, Alex Iwobi missed the grade.
We've selected the best performers from another thrilling weekend and slotted them into a workable formation—a 4-4-2 on this occasion.
Disagree with our selections? Hit us up in the comments section below to start the conversation.
GK: Kasper Schmeichel, Leicester City
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There were no truly standout goalkeeping performances across the Premier League this weekend, but Kasper Schmeichel made a few vital saves to keep Crystal Palace at bay late on in Saturday's game.
Leicester City eked out their third successive 1-0 victory to keep themselves five points ahead in the title race, but a fast start to the game faded and they hung on a little at times late on.
Schmeichel made a couple of point-blank stops and communicated well with his line.
RB: Hector Bellerin, Arsenal
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Arsenal saw off the meek challenge of Everton fairly easily by combining rapid counter-attacks with defensive resilience and solidity. Hector Bellerin played a big part in both phases.
The Toffees' left-sided attackers were quiet due to the Spaniard's mindful presence, and it was his brilliant clipped pass over the top that released Alex Iwobi for the Gunners' second goal.
An assist, a clean sheet and a place in the Team of the Week. Not a bad haul for Bellerin.
CB: Federico Fernandez, Swansea City
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Federico Fernandez's first goal for Swansea City secured a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa. The three-point haul all but guarantees their Premier League status for next season.
Fernandez and Ashley Williams were both solid in the face of some serious Villa pressure. The visitors may have lacked bite, but for 45 minutes they dominated, and the Swans had to be positionally perfect to prevent an upset.
With the Argentinian netting the winner after losing Alan Hutton at a set piece, he claims a Team of the Week spot ahead of his defensive partner.
CB: Timm Klose, Norwich City
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Norwich City's 1-0 win at West Bromwich Albion was not a good game to watch. Even the goal, scored by Robbie Brady, was scrappy and involved an accidental shinned assist—perhaps an apt summary of the spectacle.
But Timm Klose's impact in the Canaries' new-found defensive resilience cannot be ignored. He was brilliant against Manchester City last week and downright superb this time around.
Where his central-defensive partner Sebastien Bassong struggled with the movement, speed and strength of Saido Berahino and Salomon Rondon, Klose stood strong and held firm.
LB: Patrick Van Aanholt, Sunderland
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Narrowly beating out Christian Fuchs for the left-back slot is Patrick van Aanholt, who provided his usual attacking thrust in the Tyne-Wear derby, but he also blended in some strong defensive work too—something we haven't seen too often from him.
He buccaneered forward regularly, saw a very good shot saved by Rob Elliot at 1-0 and coped well going the other way when tracking runs.
Per Sky Sports, the Netherlands have seen fit to call him into their squad for their upcoming friendlies, intending to take a closer look at him. That new-found defensive aptitude will be key to securing any long-term role with the Oranje.
CM: Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea
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Cesc Fabregas rescued a point for Chelsea from a game they really shouldn't have got anything from on Saturday. His two goals pegged West Ham back each time they went ahead, resulting in a 2-2 draw.
Both strikes came from set pieces, the first a beautifully arrowed free-kick, the second a cool penalty dispatched with confidence.
With Willian failing to net from a dead ball in 2016, perhaps now free-kick duties will be given back to this magical Spaniard on a full-time basis.
CM: Jan Kirchhoff, Sunderland
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Defensive midfielders shining is a common occurrence in Tyne-Wear derbies, and this weekend threw up no exceptions.
Jan Kirchhoff was superb in the engine room for Sunderland; he covered the breadth of the pitch, tackled anyone who came near him and set the tone for a great first half for the Black Cats.
The German signed in January and put together quite an awful debut, but he stands a lesson in why you can't judge a player off one performance. He's starting to emerge as a key enforcer for Sam Allardyce.
Wing: Riyad Mahrez, Leicester City
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Riyad Mahrez was again the match-winner for Leicester City, and ESPN FC's Michael Cox could not have been more impressed by the Algerian's impact.
"This game was utterly dominated by Leicester's sensational right winger Mahrez, who terrorised Crystal Palace left-back Pape Souare," he wrote.
"Palace were so scared of his electrifying pace that manager Alan Pardew asked regular central midfielder Joe Ledley to spend most of the time to the left of Palace's midfield, attempting to double up against Mahrez and prevent him from cutting inside."
Mahrez missed one chance early on but buried his second, taking advantage of good work from Jamie Vardy on the left. It proved to be the pivotal moment.
Wing: Sadio Mane, Southampton
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We're breaking our rules to include Sadio Mane in the Premier League Team of the Week. Substitutes aren't usually eligible, but his impact was so pivotal that it's impossible to leave him out.
Off the bench at half-time, the Senegalese winger proceeded to score two goals as Southampton came from behind to beat Liverpool 3-2. He even missed a penalty minutes after coming on and still gets in. Credit to him for clearing his mind and pushing on.
His two successful strikes were taken well, left Simon Mignolet sprawling and rendered the home crowd delirious with joy.
ST: Graziano Pelle, Southampton
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Graziano Pelle's performance on Sunday epitomised the "game-of-two-halves" phrase; he was quiet in the first but exploded into life in the second.
He won a penalty which Sadio Mane missed, netted a lovely left-foot strike from 20 yards to draw his side level and assisted both of the goals Mane actually did score.
His role in Southampton's remarkable come-from-behind 3-2 victory at St. Mary's Stadium was so prominent that it's enough to beat Alex Iwobi to a spot in our Team of the Week.
Pelle's recent miraculous return to form has been a welcome boost for a Saints side still challenging for a European position. If he carries on in this fashion, they might just sneak back into the conversation.
ST: Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur
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Harry Kane bagged another brace this weekend as Tottenham Hotspur won again. The two goals took him to 21 in the league this campaign, meaning he has breached the 20-goal mark in his first two full seasons—a phenomenal achievement.
While the goal output has stayed the same, his all-round game has improved tenfold, and his performance against Bournemouth was one you'd expect from a seasoned and physical target man.
His link play with Dele Alli—a source of near-constant production in 2016—was on full display once again.
Bench
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GK: Rob Elliot, Newcastle United
FB: Kyle Walker, Tottenham Hotspur
CB: Ashley Williams, Swansea City
CM: Danny Drinkwater, Leicester City
AM: Alex Iwobi, Arsenal
Wing: Dimitri Payet, West Ham United
ST: Joselu, Stoke City
