We have new Premier League leaders in Manchester City while Crystal Palace finally recorded their first win of the season. Brentford and Wolves staged epic comebacks this weekend too.
By Sam McGuire
It was a busy one in the English top-flight and that goes some way to explaining why the FotMob Team of the Week is so varied. So, who made the cut and why?
Goalkeeper: Mark Travers
Travers stepped in to replace the injured Kepa Arrizabalaga as Bournemouth travelled to Aston Villa. After the performance he put in between the sticks, the on-loan Chelsea keeper might find it difficult to reclaim his starting position. Travers made seven saves and faced shots with an Expected Goals on Target total of 3.23 meaning he prevented 2.23 goals. The 25-year-old more than justified his 8.8 FotMob rating. He was pivotal in the Cherries claiming a 1-1 draw at Villa Park.
Right-Back: Nélson Semedo
Wolves fought back from 2-0 down to claim a point at Brighton this weekend. It brought their losing streak to an end. Semedo had a fairly solid game at right wing-back for Gary O’Neil’s side. The 30-year-old attempted six tackles, made 12 clearances and recovered the ball on three occasions. He won 10 of his 15 duels and this included winning seven of his 11 ground duels. He didn’t deserve to be on the losing side following this heroic defensive display. And two late goals ensured he wasn’t.
Centre-Back: Trevoh Chalobah
Crystal Palace finally picked up a win in the Premier League! The Eagles claimed a 1-0 victory over Spurs on Sunday and their entire backline put in an impressive showing. However, Chalobah is the only one to make it into the FotMob Team of the Week. The 25-year-old struggled in possession, completing just 59% of his passes, but he did boss things defensively. He won 100% of his tackles, 100% of his aerial duels and 83% of his ground duels. The on-loan Chelsea defender also made seven clearances as Oliver Glasner’s side kept a clean sheet.
Centre-Back: Rúben Dias
The Manchester City captain played his part in the reigning champions keeping a clean sheet in their win over Southampton. Dias completed 97% of his passes at the Etihad and recovered the ball on eight occasions. The former Benfica man had a 100% record in ground duels against the Saints but did struggle in the air, winning just one of four aerial battles. Still, it was a solid display for the ever-reliable centre-back.
Left-Back: Joško Gvardiol
This is becoming a regular occurrence, isn’t it? Gvardiol has made the left-back spot in the FotMob Team of the Week his own this term. The versatile defender created three chances for the champions and completed 93% of the 103 passes he attempted at the Etihad. The Croatia international won 100% of his tackles and 67% of his ground duels in a showing that earned him an 8.2 rating.
Midfield: Casemiro
The 32-year-old midfielder thought he’d salvaged a point for Manchester United when he netted an 81st-minute equaliser against West Ham United on Sunday afternoon. However, the Red Devils couldn’t hold on and lost out to a stoppage-time Jarrod Bowen penalty. That doesn’t take anything away from the midfielder’s performance though. Casemiro completed 82% of his passes, carved out two chances and made nine ball recoveries. He won 80% of his aerial duels and half of his ground duels in what was an all-round impressive display.
Midfield: Idrissa Gueye
Gueye claimed the highest player rating in the game between Everton and Fulham. The 35-year-old completed 89% of his passes at Goodison Park on Saturday evening. He completed 100% of his dribbles and won 80% of his duels in what was a commanding midfield performance for the Blues. The one-time PSG midfielder won 11 of his 13 duels, made two interceptions and recovered the ball seven times.
Attack: Bryan Mbeumo
Another two goals for Mbeumo this weekend. The Brentford forward has started the season in fine form and now has eight goals in a little over 800 Premier League minutes. Mbeumo was the match-winner as the Bees came from 2-0 down to beat Ipswich Town 4-3 in injury time. The 25-year-old didn’t have the best game generally but stepped up when it mattered most to give Thomas Frank’s side the win. That is ultimately all that matters.
Attack: Matheus Cunha
The versatile attacker claimed the highest FotMob rating in the clash between Brighton and Wolves. Cunha was awarded an 8.4 rating after scoring a stoppage-time equaliser for the visitors. The Wolves No. 10 had five shots in total and carved out four chances for O’Neil’s men. He also completed 60% of his dribbles and won seven of his 12 duels in what was a fairly dominant showing by the forward.
Attack: Pedro Neto
Few Chelsea players have managed to shine brighter than Cole Palmer this season but Neto managed it for the Blues in their 2-1 win over Newcastle United. The former Wolves winger assisted Nicolas Jackson for the opener and was a general nuisance for Enzo Maresca’s men. He had a total of five shots and created three chances at Stamford Bridge. He also completed 90% of his passes and 75% of his attempted dribbles.
Attack: Chris Wood
Wood found the back of the net for the third successive Premier League match as Nottingham Forest claimed a 3-1 win over Leicester City on Friday night. Wood now has seven Premier League goals this term after his double against the Foxes. The striker wasn’t heavily involved in general play, attempting just 14 passes, but did what he had to. He won aerial duels and scored two goals. It was a good day at the office for him.
(Images from IMAGO)
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