Almost no one put up a mind blowing performance in game week 24 of the Premier league despite one grabbing a hat trick and another deciding a game in the 33 minutes he was on the pitch. Here are the eleven players who make the cut in our latest edition of team of the week as selected by PML Daily correspondent Shaban Lubega.
1. Willy Cabalero(Chelsea).
First-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is out with an ankle injury but the way Caballero has performed must have manager Antonio Conte considering sticking with the South American in the short term. He was lucky not to concede two penalties but that save to deny Tomer Hemed was arguably the save of the weekend and in a game week where the saves where few and rare, couldn’t resist to put him in between the sticks.
2. Victor Moses(Chelsea).
The lengthy lay off at the start of the season may have taken him back a little but his performance against Brighton reminded all Chelsea fans about the quality he posses running all day at the right flank.
He was the architect of Hazard’s first goal and took his and the team’s fourth in a way even a world class striker could have been proud of.
3. Nacho Monreal(Arsenal).
The 33 minutes he was on the pitch against Crystal Palace, his impact was enough to to win the Gunners their first game in six across all competitions. He made two assists and scored his third of the season as Arsenal ran out 4-1 winners.
4. Jack Stephans(Southampton).
That block to deny Erick Lamela with six minutes to go was as good as they got this past weekend. He was unlucky not to score from a header in the first half as Spurs’ keeper Hugo Lloris was rooted in one spot but the effort missed the target. The young English international has been a revolution of sorts this season playing a big part of it along side Maya Yoshida and what a players he may turn out to be in the near future that’s if he keeps on shutting out opposition like he did against Tottenham.
5. Harry Maguire(Leicester).
Against Watford, their was always an asurajnce that Kasper Schumicheal and Leicester was going to get a clean sheet and it was all down to one man, Harry Maguire. Coming off an impressive performance against Chelsea, Maguire put in another for a second game running. The big Englishman is putting in perfomances game in game out that will surely make his a feature in the England team that will travel to Russia come June.
6.Grzegorz Krychowiak.
Going to Goodison Park and taking on an Everton side in need of points in not an easy task especially when you are tasked with making things happen in the center of the pitch buy Krychowiak did just that and the pass to release Jay Rodriguez for the opener was just sublime. With the out side of his right foot and perfectly weighed, you can not see a better pass all weekend than what the Pol produced. The former Sevilla captain didn’t stop at that as he controlled the play on route to his team getting a vital point away from home.
7. Ryad Mahrez.
One of the most inform players in the league since the turn of the year and his constant running towards the Watford goal this past weekend was a constant night mare for the opposition defenders. On another day, he may have scored two or three but the one he got would surely propel him in the team of the week.
8. Kevin De Bryne.(Man City).
The catalyst of Man City’s play and attack took it all to him self against Newcastle and delivered in a performance that could only be bettered by hat trick hero Aguero. The wipe on the cross for Aguero’s first is what he has keep on doing all season long and if Guardiola was asking for a response from his star players after the 4-3 loss to Liverpool, De Bryne gave his just what he was craving for.
9. Sergio Aguero(Man City).
With the lengthy absence of Gabriel Jesus, Aguero now has the liberty to play week in week out and against a Newcastle side that was always going to defend for their lives, the Argentine had to deliver especially after that loss to Liverpool. And deliver he did, scoring all three as the Citizens made sure that they retain their 12 point lead at the top of the league.
10. Edin Hazard(Chelsea).
He played like the best players in the league that he is supposed to be. His second goal was one that can be scored with a player of immense quality, running half the length of the pitch and slotting in expertly. Chelsea can only hope he can replicate such a performance at the business end of the season because if he does, he can push the team to their desired objectives indeed.
11. Mesut Ozil.
The assist for Alexander Lacazzatte’s goal was a remind of what Arsenal may be set to miss out on that is if the German departs come next summer but it was not it all as Ozil put on quite a show thought the game. It was one of those performances that deserved at least a goal. Composed in the middle and at the center of all that Arsenal created minus the set plays.
Coach: Paul Lambert.
Although none of his players make the cut in our team of the week, Paul Lambert who has been away from the league for almost three years made a come back for him to remember as he guided his new side(Stock City) to its first three points in almost a month. Whether he keeps the Porters in the league this season remains a mystery but more of the same from his team like what they produced against Huddersfield will surely propel them up the table.
