Premier League Team of the Week: De Bruyne, Pedro and Coutinho Star
The Premier League returned with a bang this weekend, serving up goals, golazos and highlight-reel moments, while also filling in a major pieces of the title and relegation puzzles.
Six of the 10 fixtures had four goals or more in them as caution was well and truly thrown to the wind.
We've selected the best performers from another thrilling weekend and slotted them into a workable formation—a 4-2-3-1 on this occasion.
Disagree with our selections? Hit us up in the comments section below to start the conversation.
GK: Ben Foster, West Bromwich Albion
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West Bromwich Albion failed to register a shot on target for the seventh time this season on Saturday, giving Sunderland goalkeeper Vito Mannone a day off. Meanwhile, Ben Foster was flying about like a madman trying to stem the tide at the other end.
He made seven stops in total, per WhoScored.com, displaying acrobatic ability and a willingness to put his body on the line. Keeping a relegation-threatened Jermain Defoe out is a genuine feat, and Foster managed it.
England's goalkeeping depth really is promising; despite his obvious excellence, Foster is the country's fourth-best shot-stopper at best.
RB: Hector Bellerin, Arsenal
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Hector Bellerin praised Arsenal's "defensive aggression" after their 4-0 win over Watford on Saturday, suggesting their front-footed game plan helped hem the Hornets in and dominate them.
The 21-year-old was extremely aggressive on the right flank, spending most of the game camped in the final third, and he scored a deflected goal to make it 3-0 on the day and truly seal the three points.
There's an argument that Watford really did not care about this game—and it's likely they had one eye on the upcoming FA Cup semi-final at Wembley—but that shouldn't take away from an excellent overall performance from Bellerin.
CB: Wes Morgan, Leicester City
3 of 12Wes Morgan was Leicester City's hero this weekend. He scored the only goal of the game to ensure his side beat Southampton at home, and in doing so, they took one large step closer to the Premier League title.
His headed goal was a good one, beating Jordy Clasie in the air (with ease) to guide the ball into the corner accurately, and he then got through his usual amount of defensive work, defending deep and holding firm in the face of an attempted Saints retort.
The sheer amount of pressure the Foxes came under was remarkable, but they did not relent. Morgan was key to the resilience.
CB: Daley Blind, Manchester United
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Daley Blind was fantastic against Everton," tweeted football writer Liam Canning after Manchester United's win this weekend. "He may not be the quickest, but he has so much control in defence. Reads the game beautifully."
Playing against Romelu Lukaku can be daunting—particularly for centre-backs of Blind's size—but he handled the test superbly, his classy streak shining through as he marshalled from deep. His passing also impressed as the Red Devils dominated patches of the game.
LB: Martin Olsson, Norwich City
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Martin Olsson produced a potentially season-saving moment for Norwich City on Saturday. That, in addition to the paucity of quality at left-back across the division, helps him claim a spot in our Team of the Week.
His left-footed piledriver in the closing minutes of the Canaries' 3-2 win over Newcastle United—securing them a deserved three-point haul that lifts them further clear of the relegation zone—was a highlight-reel moment in waiting.
Throughout the game he had struggled to keep a lid on Andros Townsend—many full-backs do—although the Englishman kept drifting inward; Norwich as a team failed to cope with him, rather than just Olsson.
DM: Mousa Dembele, Tottenham Hotspur
6 of 12Mousa Dembele's fine season continued as he put in a stellar performance at Anfield on Saturday. Liverpool made it as difficult as possible to play football in the centre of the park, but the Belgian thrived regardless.
Seemingly impervious to the press, he consistently evaded tackles and started moves for Spurs.
With space at a premium, it was only he who emerged as an able ball-carrier and creator—the likes of Dele Alli and Heung-Min Son, in contrast, struggled badly.
DM: Fernandinho, Manchester City
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Manchester City were magnificent across the board this weekend, turning on the jets and smashing Bournemouth 4-0 on their own patch.
Fernandinho may not have scored or assisted, but he did provide the energy required to tame a very strong Cherries' midfield. His thrust, his dribbling ability and his snappy tackles set the tone for a marvellous offensive showing. He also hit the woodwork with a strike of his own.
The offering was simply what has become expected from the Brazilian; you'd be hard-pressed to find a more worthy recipient of the club's Player of the Season award.
RW: Pedro, Chelsea
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Aly Cissokho seemed to decide early into Aston Villa's loss to Chelsea on Saturday that he didn't fancy chasing Pedro around all afternoon.
The Spaniard looked like something approaching his zippy, incisive best, and he soon began to work the full-back on the inside and the outside. His two goals—one of which was the finishing of a lovely team move—were a just reward for his efforts.
Now, if only Pedro could replicate this form against teams who haven't completely given up...
AM: Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City
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It's perhaps no coincidence that Manchester City snapped back into top form as soon as Kevin De Bruyne returned to the fold; he absolutely ran the game against Bournemouth.
The Belgian put the finishing touch on a lovely flowing team move early on, setting the tone for a dominant team performance, and pulled the strings in midfield all afternoon.
He even went close with a volley from distance, confidence infusing his every move.
LW: Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool
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Philippe Coutinho put in a brilliant performance on Saturday as Liverpool held Tottenham Hotspur to a 1-1 draw, scoring the Reds' goal and terrorising Kyle Walker—particularly in the second half.
Some were concerned that the Brazilian would be wasted in moving out permanently to the left flank, but he's found a home there under Jurgen Klopp, and his best attributes—the dynamism, the quickness, and the eye for goal—are still prominent in his game.
He created numerous chances as he tore his marker to shreds, and he flashed a stunning ball across the goal line that just begged to be tapped home.
ST: Dieumerci Mbokani, Norwich City
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What. A. Goal.
Dieumerci Mbokani's thunderbolt strike to put Norwich City 2-1 up against Newcastle United on Saturday was absolutely astonishing. Rarely are we treated to the sight of a player so bulky and powerful moving with incisive precision before firing home with such velocity.
Mbokani was a menace to the Magpies all game, forcing Karl Darlow into some excellent saves—including one which was positively David de Gea-esque with his foot—and he finally iced the cake with a goal of his own.
Bench
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GK: Karl Darlow, Newcastle United
CB: Timm Klose, Norwich City
CM: N'Golo Kante, Leicester City
AM: Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Chelsea
Wing: Dimitri Payet, West Ham United
Wing: Alex Iwobi, Arsenal
ST: Sergio Aguero, Manchester City
