Premier League Team of the Week: Mane, Tadic, Iheanacho and Baines Star
Leicester City may have been crowned Premier League champions on Monday after Tottenham Hotspur failed to beat Chelsea, but they've still got their fair share of problems. For example: They have no players in this edition of our Team of the Week!
We've selected the very best players from another thrilling weekend and slotted them into a workable formation—a 4-3-3 on this occasion. There's two from Southampton, two from Everton and two from Newcastle United. This weekend's theme was definitely pairs!
Disagree with our selections? Hit us up in the comments section below to start the conversation.
GK: Karl Darlow, Newcastle United
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A penalty save and a clean sheet? That's your ticket into our Premier League Team of the Week, Karl Darlow!
Against Crystal Palace he rebuffed Yohan Cabaye's spot-kick to ensure Newcastle United hung onto a vital 1-0 victory and made three other excellent, key stops. He's agile, positive in commanding his area and boasts strong wrists just made for palming shots clear.
The third-choice goalkeeper has been terrific since being thrust in to replace the injured Rob Elliot, putting in some consistently excellent performances. This was arguably his finest yet.
RB: Michail Antonio, West Ham
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There's always room for a rampaging, all-action right-back in our Team of the Week, and Michail Antonio impressed mightily in this area on Saturday.
West Brom's left flank struggled badly with his speed and power moving forward, while at the other end he was on hand early to make two goal-line clearances that kept the hosts at bay.
Antonio has enjoyed a very good season and has only endured a few minor missteps since being re-positioned in defence due to injuries. At 26, you can consider him a rather late but very impressive bloomer.
CB: Matthew Pennington, Everton
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Roberto Martinez may not have many fans left on Merseyside, but one more was added to the dwindling collection this weekend in the form of Matthew Pennington.
We've seen glimpses of the young Everton defender in cup competition, but on Saturday he made his Premier League bow and seized the chance to impress the Goodison Park crowd. Fans were able to temporarily put their anger on hold whenever he was in the thick of the action.
Positionally he was great, he moved well and played positively with the ball at his feet. AFC Bournemouth tried to stress his channel on the left with through balls, but he mopped up almost every single one.
CB: Jamaal Lascelles, Newcastle United
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When a new manager comes in every player is given a much-cliched fresh slate. Some take advantage of it, some don't.
Jamaal Lascelles has now started double the amount of Premier League games under Rafa Benitez (six) than he did in Steve McClaren's entire tenure (three). The Englishman impressed his new coach from the start, has earned his trust and is now repaying the faith with some excellent performances.
Lascelles was brilliant against Crystal Palace. He swept across the back line clearing danger, read the game superbly, showed maturity in not diving in, passed cleanly and executed a brilliant last-man challenge at 0-0 to bail his side out of danger.
LB: Leighton Baines, Everton
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Where the hell has this guy been all season? Leighton Baines began the season injured, sure, but he has been back in the XI for months now (13 Premier League starts and counting) and only this weekend returned to the level of performance expected.
He was up and down the left flank like a fiddler's elbow as Everton beat AFC Bournemouth 2-1, scoring a well-taken goal placed into the roof of the net to seal the victory. It's probably too little too late to get him on the plane to France this summer, but it does at least award his manager a welcome temporary reprieve.
CM: Mark Noble, West Ham
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Mark Noble's brace against West Bromwich Albion brought about yet another round of an age-old, ever-popular discussion: "How on earth has Mark Noble not got an England cap?"
His performance at The Hawthorns was close to immaculate, netting twice to secure his side an extremely impressive 3-0 win at a tough venue, passing and moving well, and surging forward to great effect.
With Euro 2016 just months away, the calls for him to replace Jordan Henderson (potentially injured) in Roy Hodgson's setup will be cranked up several more notches.
CM: Cheikhou Kouyate, West Ham
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Cheikhou Kouyate was a machine-like presence for West Ham this weekend, holding fast against early West Brom pressure, then exploding forward to great effect.
He bagged one goal and assisted another as, out of nowhere, the Hammers suddenly clicked and scored three goals, turning the tie on its head and dramatically reversing the game's momentum.
Kouyate doesn't always play up to his potential, but when he does—when he finds his groove—he's unstoppable.
CM: Jack Cork, Swansea City
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Jack Cork has gotten progressively better as the season has worn on and put in arguably his best showing of the year against Liverpool.
His quick feet and calm passing represented the pulse of Swansea City's play on Sunday, and his goal to extend the hosts' lead to 2-0 was a superbly taken, whipped effort from near the edge of the box.
He completed 65 passes, per WhoScored.com—more than anyone else on the team. Although he was up against a weakened Reds midfield with a distinct rookie feel to it, his performance is still worth lauding.
Wing: Sadio Mane, Southampton
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Towards the end of last season, Sadio Mane's form exploded and he ended the campaign on a real high. A three-minute hat-trick against Aston Villa and some exceptional levels of production led to many believing 2015-16 would be huge for him.
It didn't really pan out as such—he's drifted in and out of form and seen red twice—but once again, as the calendar flips to May, he's kicking into gear. His hat-trick against Manchester City on Sunday was, simply put, awesome.
Quick to move and rapid over the shoulder, the Citizens failed to live with his runs. His finishing, too, was absolutely on point.
Wing: Dusan Tadic, Southampton
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When Dusan Tadic is firing, defences tend to crumble. He doesn't always hit peak form, but when he does, there's not a lot you can do to stop him.
He set up a whopping three goals on Sunday as Southampton beat Manchester City comfortably, laying on killer passes for Sadio Mane and hooking a remarkable cross into the box for Shane Long on the stretch to get the party going.
Operating off the left on the St. Mary's turf he can look borderline world class. If only he could transfer that form into away games.
ST: Kelechi Iheanacho, Manchester City
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For the second week running, Kelechi Iheanacho makes our Premier League Team of the Week. This kid is an absolute stud of a prospect and footballer.
Manchester City played atrociously all afternoon, but he didn't let his team-mates scupper an infrequent start for him. Two goals, the second of which was an absolute beauty, ensure his strike ratio this season would make Tim Sherwood one proud mother hen.
His all-round game is rapidly improving, and it's already clear he has a bigger future at Man City than Wilfried Bony. Will Pep Guardiola like what he sees? It's tough not to!
Bench
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GK: Kasper Schmeichel, Leicester City
FB: Antonio Valencia, Manchester United
CB: Wes Morgan, Leicester City
CM: Michael Carrick, Manchester United
Wing: Andros Townsend, Newcastle United
ST: Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur
ST: Andre Ayew, Swansea City
