EPL Index’s Team of the Week: Virgil Van Dijk and Phil Foden Shine Once Again
With another thrilling Premier League gameweek coming to a close, there have been stellar performances from familiar faces, as well as some not-so-familiar faces. Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal all carried on their winning streaks, whilst Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa both continued their pursuit of Champions League football with victories, too.
It was another brutal weekend for Burnley and Sheffield United, who are starting to break all of the unwanted records, whilst Everton, Luton Town and Nottingham Forest all suffered late defeats. Across the weekend, there have been plenty of standout performers and we’ve compiled them into our Matchday 27 Team of the Week…
GK- Alphonse Areola (West Ham United)
The Frenchman was in fine form as the Hammers secured a crucial 3-1 away win at Everton. Moyes’ side could’ve been out of the game completely if Areola didn’t save Beto’s first-half penalty but instead his intervention opened the door to three points.
RB- Ben White (Arsenal)
White was part of the starting lineup that absolutely dismantled Chris Wider’s woeful Sheffield United side on Monday night, in a 6-0 demolition job. The full-back was strong defensively and even grabbed the sixth goal for the Gunners with a brilliant finish from the edge of the box.
CB- Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool)
The Liverpool captain has been absolutely incredible this season and his performance on Saturday hasn’t got the credit that it deserves. His calmness and leadership skills were key to the Reds securing a vital three points at Nottingham Forest, to keep their Premier League title hopes alive.
CB- Fabian Schar (Newcastle United)
Schar was at the centre of Newcastle’s impressive 3-0 victory over Wolves on Saturday. The Swiss international played a vital role in keeping the likes of Pedro Neto and Pablo Sarabia quiet, before grabbing an assist for Tino Livramento’s late goal.
LB- Lucas Digne (Aston Villa)
It takes a lot for a substitute to be included in these teams, but the importance of Lucas Digne’s last minute winner at Luton Town cannot be underestimated. The Frenchman’s brilliant header kept Villa five points clear of Tottenham Hotspur in fifth to keep their top four hopes alive.
CM- Rodri (Manchester City)
When Manchester United took a surprise lead at the Etihad on Sunday, it was Rodri’s calmness and ability to dictate the game that allowed City to take control of the game again. The Spaniard set up Phil Foden’s screamer to level the score, before grabbing another assist for Erling Haaland’s goal to secure the three points for sure.
CM- Martin Odegaard (Arsenal)
The Arsenal captain was unplayable at Bramall Lane on Monday as the Gunners came out 6-0 winners. Odegaard scored the opener inside the first five minutes to really set the tone for the rest of the night and he remained at the heart of all of Arsenal’s creative play.
CAM- Phil Foden (Manchester City)
There’s very few words that can do Foden’s performance on Sunday true justice. The 23-year-old grabbed the game by the scuff of the neck and dragged his side to a three points that could be the difference in May. His first goal was an absolute screamer, whilst his second goal perfectly summed up the tenacity and dedication of his play, too.
RW- Harry Wilson (Fulham)
Fulham carried on their impressive run of form with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. The 26-year-old scored the opener, before setting up Rodrigo Muniz just ten minutes later to send the Cottagers on their way to three points.
LW- Brennan Johnson (Tottenham Hotspur)
When Brennan Johnson came off the bench on Saturday, Spurs found themselves 1-0 down to Crystal Palace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Anything other than a win would’ve mean that Spurs would drop further behind in the race for Champions League football. Johnson assisted Timo Werner’s equaliser, before assisting Heung-Min Son’s goal to secure the three points just ten minutes later.
ST- Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
Watkins has become somewhat of a regular in these teams over recent weeks, with his two goals against Luton Town being his fifth goal in his last four Premier League games. His first-half brace just about provided Villa a strong enough cushion to grab the three points in the end. Those goals put the Englishman just two goals behind Erling Haaland in the golden boot race, whilst no player has had more direct goal contributions than him this season, with 26.
