Premier League Team of the Week: Easter Weekend
There are still nine rounds to go in the Premier League but when the dust is settled, Matchday 30 could be viewed as pivotal by a number of teams. It might be surprising to see that only two players from the top four teams made it into our Team of the Week. Here’s a look at the top performers from across the Easter weekend.
By Sam McGuire, Premier League expert
Goalkeeper: Arijanet Muric
Muric put in an incredible performance between the sticks for Burnley in their 2-2 draw with Chelsea. The 25-year-old made an astonishing 11 saves and faced shots with an Expected Goals on Target total of 4.82, meaning his exploits prevented close to three goals at Stamford Bridge. The shot-stopper, perhaps surprisingly, also created one chance for the Clarets to cap off his 8.8 showing.
Right- Back: Conor Bradley
It highlights just how good Bradley has been for Liverpool when you say the Premier League leaders haven’t really missed Trent Alexander-Arnold. The 20-year-old makes it into the FotMob Team of the Week again following an 8.6 rated performance in the win over Brighton. The Northern Ireland international created four chances, he completed four of his six dribbles, won five of his six tackles and 11 of his 16 duels as Liverpool rallied from 1-0 down to claim all three points at Anfield.
Centre-Back: Mathias Jørgensen
The defensive juggernaut put in some shift for Brentford against Manchester United on Saturday evening. Mathias Jørgensen aka Zanka won 100% of his tackles, recovered the ball on six occasions, won nine of his 12 aerial duels and triumphed in four of his five ground duels as the Bees scored a well-deserved equaliser in the 99th minute just moments after falling behind.
Centre-Back: Dara O’Shea
Chelsea may have peppered the Burnley goal but this only allowed for O’Shea to catch the eye. The centre-back scored the all-important equaliser that saw Vincent Kompany’s men to return to Turf Moor with a point. Defensively, he was dominant. He won 100% of his tackles, and seven of his eight duels in total, including five of five aerial duels.
Left-Back: Joško Gvardiol
The Super Sunday clash between Manchester City and Arsenal wasn’t one for the neutral but Gvardiol certainly impressed for the reigning champions. The former RB Leipzig man completed 87% of his attempted passes, he created one chance and he also completed 100% of his attempted dribbles. The Croatia international won all four of his tackles and won 80% of his duels in a dominant showing.
Midfield: Cole Palmer
Yet another Team of the Week appearance for Palmer. It really is becoming a regular occurrence at this point. The 21-year-old was yet again the main man for Chelsea in the 2-2 draw against Burnley. Palmer had a total of nine shots, scoring twice to take his tally for the season to 13. He also carved out five opportunities for teammates and completed 100% of his dribbles on his way to a 9.3 rating.
Midfield: Josh Cullen
With Burnley down to 10 men, they needed those on the pitch to really dig deep and find that extra 10% from somewhere to get them back into the game against Chelsea. Cullen did just that. The 27-year-old scored the first equaliser just after half-time and then assisted O’Shea in the 81st minute. It was one of three chances the midfielder created for Burnley in what was an impressive middle-third showing.
Midfield: Mohammed Kudus
Kudus is enjoying life in the Premier League. The former Ajax man scored and assisted in West Ham’s 4-3 defeat to Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon. The versatile midfielder was a menace throughout, creating two chances while attempting 12 dribbles at St James’ Park. Kudus also won all five of his tackles and recovered the ball on nine occasions. Astonishingly, he was involved in 23 duels, really showcasing how well-rounded he is.
Attack: Alexander Isak
The 24-year-old Sweden international converted from the spot on two occasions to boost his tally for the season in the win over West Ham. In a manic game, Isak showed great composure to play his part in Newcastle picking up all three points. He even chipped in with an assist to claim a 9.2 rating.
Attack: Harvey Barnes
Barnes was on the pitch for just 23 minutes. But what a 23 minutes they were. The 26-year-old scored a late equaliser for the Magpies before his stunning effort in the 90th minute won the game for the hosts. He had four efforts in total after coming off of the bench and created one chance in what was a whirlwind cameo.
Attack: Ben Brereton Díaz
The on-loan Villarreal forward wasn’t heavily involved in play for Sheffield United during the epic 3-3 draw with Fulham. But he made it count when he was. Díaz attempted just 11 passes and had two shots on Saturday evening yet finished the game with two goals and one chance created. He also competed in 14 duels, winning six of those, and played a key role in the Blades picking up an important point. Had they been able to hold on, he would’ve been the match-winner.
(Images from IMAGO)
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