The goals just kept coming as the Premier League wrapped up it’s 16th week. The big highlight was Manchester United’s win against reigning champions Manchester City, signifying the possibly a sign of better things to come for the reddevils. Manchester City’s chances of retaining the title got even slimmer with a 14-point deficit compared to the still undefeated Liverpool. Tottenham had the biggest win of the week with a 5-0 win against Burnley. A lot of goals and fantastic performances. Here’s a look at the team of the week for Matchday 16.
Formation : 4-3-3 Attacking
GK: Vicente Guaita (Crystal Palace)
Crystal Palace had a goalless game against Watford. A major reason for the clean sheet was none other than Vicente Guaita.The Spaniard proved to be absolutely essential thanks to some excellent reflexes and positioning. He made 3 crucial saves in the game was arguably the best player in the goalless match.
LB: Jan Vertonghen ( Tottenham Hotspur)
A departure from the standard Centre-Back role for this week’s game proved highly effective proved highly effective for both player and club as is evidenced by the 5-0 win. Vertonghen was strong on both facets (attack and defence). He had 2 dribbles and 5 tackles in the game, along with 2 key passes. He had one assist which possibly led to the best goal of the season courtesy of Son but more on that later.
CB: Victor Lindelof (Manchester United)
Victor Lindelof was a huge factor in Man United’s victory. He was the reason why their defence felt so cohesive and airtight throughout the game. He was constantly on the attacker and he was relentless with his pursuits. He had some noteworthy blocks and made 3 tackles and 8 clearances in the game. He was strong even in the air with 2 aerial battles won. A pivotal performance in a crucial game.
CB: Michael Keane (Everton)
Michael Keane was extremely sharp in Everton’s 3-1 win against 4th placed Chelsea. His awareness and reflexes were strong and he was incredible in the air. He had 1 completed tackle and a crucial 9 clearances. As mentioned earlier, he was fantastic in the air with 9 aerial battles won. An important performance in an important victory.
RB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka ( Manchester United)
He was possibly the best player in the MCI-MUN game. He was master of his flank, doing what he was brought to do - tackle. The right flank was almost inhospitable for any sort of Manchester City attack thanks to him. He was aware, agile and precise with his defence and crippled Manchester City’s wing-play. Wan-Bissaka had 5 completed tackles. He had 7 clearances and 2 interceptions. He’s proving to be Manchester United’s best transfer in years as the games go by.
CM: Scott McTominay (Manchester United)
Even in Manchester United’s darker days, McTominay has been referred to as a ray of light and he shone even brighter in their victory against Manchester City. He had a brilliant sense of coordination, not only proving to be a great link with the front 3 but also with his fellow midfielder Fred. Not only was he a good link but he was also really sharp on defence, thwarting as much of the attack as he good with a great success rate. He had 3 completed tackles, 3 interceptions and 4 clearances. He proved to be one of the cogs that kept Manchester United afloat.
CM: James Maddison ( Leicester City)
James Maddison and Leicester City continued the brilliant streak of form, adding a very impressive 4-1 victory to the belt. He proved to be fantastic on the attack providing a great amount of support along with being a direct force of attack as well. He cemented his position as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League. He managed 2 tackles and 2 dribbles. He had 2 shots, one of which hit the woodwork. His corner kicks were strong and eventually led to a goal thanks to Johnny Evans.
CAM: Son Heung-Min (Tottenham Hotspur)
Son has been one of the most consistent players, if not the most consistent player for Spurs. He was impressive even prior to Jose Mourinho taking over as manager and not it seems he’s even better. His dribbling and attack awareness was phenomenal in the game, seemingly going past defenders like a breeze. Eventually that dribbling skill led to possibly the goal of the season, with Son starting all the way from the heart of his own half going past one Burnley player after another, eventually dashing all the way into the goal. Even the finish at the end was sublime. Surprisingly that was not his only highlight in the game as he dominated throughout. Son managed 6 dribbles and 3 shots, 2 of which were on target. A superb performance from one of the best in the league.
LW: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
Harry Kane keeps proving why he’s one of the best strikers of his generation. Kane showed yet again why he’s so revered for how well he strikes the ball and for his general accuracy and finishing. Kane contributed to 3 of the 5 Tottenham goals directly, scoring two himself. Both his goals were brilliant to watch and exemplar of his terrific shooting skills. He seems to be the most quintessential of strikers right now.
RW: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool FC)
Liverpool had to do without Sadio Mane this week, who was benched for the game and even without the top scorer, the Reds still ended up with a victory. Seems Mohamed Salah had no problem in giving Liverpool another victory. He was sharp as a tack throughout the game, always being opportunistic as a forward. As a result he had 5 shots in the game, 4 of which were on target. Of course he had a goal of his own towards the end, showcasing his read, pace, positioning and terrific finishing.
ST: Jamie Vardy (Leicester CIty FC)
Jamie Vardy scored his 8th consecutive PL goal bringing the tally to 16 - same as the no. of matches. He’s the top scorer in the league right now and 5 ahead of Pierre Emerick Aubameyang. He scored 2 goals in the game against Aston Villa. His finishing was on point, as was his positioning and pace. Vardy opened up the scoring, taking advantage of an exceptional pass from Iheanacho for the first goal and beat the keeper and tucked the ball into the back of the net. He also put the cherry on the top with the final goal of the night with another deft finish. He just proves to be the hungriest striker in the Premier League despite being one of the older players.
Check Here: La Liga Gameweek 16: Team of the week
