Who makes the starting XI in 90MAAT’s team of the week for GW8?
David de Gea – Manchester United
De Gea was without doubt the stand out player in the Liverpool v United game at the weekend, which I predicted would be 3-1 to United so that goes to show what I know, including one save in the first half which was quite simply remarkable. He seems to just save everything with every single part of his body: his reflexes, aerial presence, domination of the box, all of it is just quite simply amazing. For me Clive he is the best goalkeeper in the world: Neuer, Oblak, and Lloris come close but De Gea is in a league of his own, without him United wouldn’t have come away from Anfield with anything.
Mamadou Sakho – Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace against Chelsea, Chelsea on a decent run of form sitting pretty in the top four, Crystal Palace with no goals and no points, surely the result is a forgone conclusion? Alas, no, the Eagles welcomed the champions to Selhurst and gave them a footballing lesson and Sakho was key to this, he was a solid commanding presence at the back and made the £35m Michy Batshuayi look like Andriy Vorinin (retro throwback for you all). At £26m Sakho looks like an absolute steal and if Palace can build on this victory, Sakho could end up being a vital player for them this season.
Adrian Mariappa – Watford
Oh Arsenal, what are we to do with you? Away to Watford, high flying Watford, and as Troy Deeney so aptly put it on BT Sport afterwards, they lack cojones and that is something that the Watford players had in droves. Arsenal pushed forward continually but the Watford back four, led by Mariappa, repelled them time and time again, it was magnificent to watch. The same issues arise for Arsenal, and personally I hope they stay because I am really enjoying Arsenal Fan TV.
Phil Jones – Manchester United
Another man, a long with De Gea , to whom United owe a great debt for their point at Anfield on Saturday. It was a dire game but what did we really expect from a Mourinho team playing away at a fellow so called ‘big club’. From the offset it was clear that United were not looking to get on with the game, they backed themselves to withstand Liverpool’s attacks and maybe nick one on the counter, they couldn’t do the latter but they nailed the former. Fair play to you Jose. Boring, but it works.
Raheem Sterling – Manchester City
Raheem Sterling is an infuriating player: one week he just runs about flapping his hands like he’s trying to dry his nails and the next he puts in a performance like this. Guardiola has without doubt transformed him, he is no longer a winger, more of a wide forward, using his searing pace and close control to just breeze past defenders and the poor Stoke defence were the ones that had to deal with it this week. A goal and two assists at the weekend goes to show just how far Sterling has developed, long may it continue.
Embed from Getty ImagesTom Cleverly – Watford
Seeing Arsenal lose is funny, I’m sorry Arsenal fans but it just is, the reaction is always way over the top and you get people like Paul Merson spouting off rubbish in the media, but when they lose because they were simply outclassed then so be it. At the weekend Tom Cleverly was just too much for them: the former Everton and United player showed just why everyone was so excited about him when he was a youngster. His last minute winner showed nerves of steel that had been previously absent in his career, lets hope he can kick on and maybe do bits for England too.
Kevin de Bruyne- Manchester City
The best player in the Premier League. Simple as.
Wiflrid Zaha – Crystal Palace
Another Palace player to make it in to the team this week but after their outstanding performance against Chelsea this week its hard not to include them, especially after Zaha gave David Luiz an absolute schooling at least twice. Zaha is so so good, he picks it up on the wings and then just mazes his way about the pitch, it’s a huge miss for England for him to be playing the Ivory Coast, but fair play to him for not being willing to wait about. Palace have to build on this results and now Zaha is fit and firing they have to start picking up the points and playing Roy’s way.
Tammy Abraham – Swansea
Abraham showed just what a player he is, two real poachers goals score form being in the right place and the right time and using any part of your body to make sure that the ball ends up in the back of the net. He is really showing Chelsea that they were wrong to send him out on loan, again, as he takes his league tally to four, even showing his defence side with tireless runs back to help his team out. If Batshuayi continues to be a poor back up for Morata, don’t be surprised to see Abraham back in London come January.
Embed from Getty ImagesGabriel Jesus – Manchester City
It’s just not fair, just when fans of other Premier League teams think that Aguero might just be dropping off, City go and get Gabriel Jesus who looks ridiculously good. His movement, pace, strength, finishing, all of this adds up to create one fantastic striker who should excite everyone just because he is fantastic to watch. Stoke on Saturday came up against Jesus in top form and two goals later they were put to the sword and he was running away laughing. I, as a Chelsea fan, am scared of Manchester City. Long may it continue.
Troy Deeney – Watford
I love this man. Not just because of his no holds barred, in your face style of play, but also because of how he is off the pitch, he is honest and doesn’t give us any of this media trained robotic rubbish that we get from most footballers these days. He took his goal well on Saturday, yes they shouldn’t have got it in the first place but the fact is that he had to score and he kept a cool head to do so. Troy Deeney, you are a fantastic bloke.
Written by Olly Norman.