Outside90’s Rob Officer selects the best individual performances from the latest round of Premier League action for our team of the week.
Petr Cech – Goalkeeper – Arsenal
Cech played a vital role in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Manchester United at the Emirates, making a number of fine saves and achieving a clean sheet. Arsenal made an incredible start to the game and every time United looked to get themselves back in it, it was Cech who quelled the pressure. Most notable of his saves was to deny Anthony Martial in the dying stages of the first half to kill United’s momentum.
Glen Johnson – Right-back – Stoke City
Glen Johnson was Stoke City’s creator in their away win at Aston Villa as well as providing consistent defensive cover for the full 90 minutes. Johnson provided the 55th-minute through ball that saw Marko Arnautović give the Potters a deserved 1-0 lead and that his how it stayed for the remainder of the contest.
Phil Jagielka – Centre-back – Everton
The Everton captain had an outstanding first half, making a number of key interceptions that were likely to lead to Liverpool goals. Jagielka commanded his defence for the entire match, although his second half was quieter with Everton doing most of the attacking in the 1-1 draw. Jagielka’s presence in the first half potentially saved Everton a point, restricting Liverpool to only one goal with his experience and execution the only thing stopping the Reds from scoring multiple times.
Per Mertesacker – Centre-back – Arsenal
With the absence of Laurent Koscielny in the Arsenal back four, Per was outstanding at coming in and filling the void left by the French centre-back. The 31-year-old German had very little trouble dealing with Manchester United’s attacking forces and played a strong role in his side’s 3-0 home win. The clean sheet capped off a fantastic result for the London club which has announced their potential of challenging for the title.
Alberto Moreno – Left-back – Liverpool
Despite being partially to blame for Everton’s equaliser, Moreno put in a brilliant work rate and has dramatically improved defensively to earn a recall in the Liverpool XI. He did not attempt to block a Gerard Deulofeu cross, which after a few more defensive errors in the box, was netted by Romelu Lukaku. The Spaniard provides a spark in attack and with his extreme speed, gets back to defend the left-flank. He has improved in all aspects of his game and despite still lacking slightly in defence it would be a shame if he does not retain his spot under Liverpool’s new manager, whoever that may be.
David Silva – Centre-midfield – Manchester City
David Silva was the mastermind behind Manchester City’s comeback win over Newcastle at Etihad Stadium. Despite winning 6-1, Manchester City went behind 1-0 and Silva was the man to thank for turning it around. With a passing accuracy of 88%, the Spaniard assisted two goals and created four shot assists. If not for Agüero’s five-goal haul, the former Valencia playmaker was a certainty for man of the match.
Sadio Mane – Right-midfield – Southampton
Mané was superb in Southampton’s 3-1 away win against champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Mané was the man behind everything his side did in the final third and caused the Chelsea defenders all sorts of problems until he was substituted in stoppage time. Not only did Mané score in the 60th minute, he assisted Graziano Pellè’s goal in the 72nd. A dominant display from the 23-year-old Senegal international and a fantastic result for Southampton.
Kevin De Bruyne – Centre-midfield – Manchester City
De Bruyne’s dream start for new club Manchester City continued with the Belgian providing two assists and scoring a fantastic second half volley. Since joining from Wolfsburg for big money, De Bruyne has done nothing but impress at Manchester City, looking dangerous in attack and smart in the way he plays. Kevin De Bruyne has also scored in his last three Premier League appearances.
Alexis Sanchez – Left-midfield – Arsenal
Sánchez produced sheer brilliance to give Arsenal a huge Premier League boost against Manchester United. The Chilean scored just six minutes in with a delightful flick, letting the ball pass him then playing it behind his body. The second was a rocket in the 19th minute, stepping inside and striking from the top of the box. Arsenal has struggled in Europe this season but with many of their stars firing, especially Sánchez, they could well be Premier League contenders. The 3-0 win over United has lifted Arsenal into second spot, just two points behind Manchester City.
Graziano Pelle – Striker – Southampton
Pellè was involved in every Southampton goal in his clubs 3-1 win over Chelsea. Pellè provided two assists and a goal of his own to steal the three points away from home off the champions. Despite his ability and dominance in the final third, his other involvement around the field lacked slightly, however his club got the result and as a forward it was very difficult to fault Pellè’s performance.
Sergio Aguero – Striker – Manchester City
Sergio Agüero scored five goals within 20 minutes to lead Manchester City to a come-from-behind 6-1 win at home to Newcastle. Agüero scored in the 42nd, 49th, 50th, 60th and 62nd minutes, proving to all his world-class status and as one of the best strikers in the world. The ‘Agüero Show’ was, however, briefly interrupted thanks to fellow Team Of The Week inclusion Kevin De Bruyne’s stunning volley in the 53rd minute. Agüero was then replaced in the 66th minute with the match strongly in City’s favour. The big win returns City to the top of the Premier League table after eight rounds.
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