Storm Darragh threatened Matchday 15 but in the end, just one game was postponed. It meant league leaders Liverpool weren’t in action, the Merseyside derby is to be rearranged, and rivals had the opportunity to eat into the advantage the Reds had at the summit.
By Sam McGuire
That didn’t necessarily pan out for Arsenal or Manchester City, with both teams only managing to draw. Just one player from the title hopefuls made it into the FotMob Team of the Week. Who was it though and who joined them in the XI?
Goalkeeper: Mads Hermansen
For a second successive matchday, the Leicester City shot-stopper makes it into the FotMob XI.
The 24-year-old played his part in the Foxes picking up a point against Brighton on Sunday. Hermansen made five saves and faced shots with an Expected Goals on Target total of 3.14. It meant his exploits between the sticks prevented 1.14 goals. The point meant Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s side are now five clear of the drop zone.
Centre-back: William Saliba
Saliba is another to retain his place in the FotMob Team of the Week. The Arsenal centre-back made it two goals in two games as he scored the equaliser for the Gunners in the 1-1 draw with Fulham on Sunday afternoon. The 23-year-old also completed 93% of his passes, recovered the ball on five occasions and won 50% of his duels against Marco Silva’s side. He did well without Gabriel, his usual partner in crime, beside him at the heart of Mikel Arteta’s defence.
Centre-back: Illia Zabarnyi
Zabarnyi was a standout for Bournemouth as they came from 1-0 down at Portman Road to claim a 2-1 win over Ipswich Town. The centre-back completed 83% of his attempted passes and 100% of his dribbles. He won all six of his tackles and made 10 ball recoveries. The Ukraine international won 90% of his ground duels and four of his six aerial duels in what was an utterly dominant showing.
Centre-back: Maxence Lacroix
Lacroix caught the eye in Crystal Palace’s surprise 2-2 draw with Manchester City. The former Wolfsburg defender scored the second goal for the Eagles but his overall performance was enough to warrant a place in this team. The 24-year-old handled the Man City press well, finding a teammate 83% of the time. He completed 100% of his dribbles and made five headed clearances. He also triumphed in 100% of his ground duels at Selhurst Park.
Right wing-back: Bryan Mbeumo
Deployed in a tweaked role, Mbeumo still managed to shine for Brentford as the Bees made it seven wins from eight at home. The versatile forward, deployed at wing-back, scored and assisted in the 4-2 win over Newcastle United. The 25-year-old created three chances on the day. He also attempted three dribbles and had a total of three shots. Mbeumo caused the Magpies a host of problems and even missed a big chance. He capped off an impressive showing with an 80% win rate in duels.
Left wing-back: Pervis Estupiñán
Estupiñán will feel unlucky not to have been on the winning side this weekend. The Brighton full-back created two chances against Leicester and did finish the game with an assist. He completed 100% of his dribbles, won two of his three tackles and five of his seven ground duels. He did his job, both defensively and offensively, but the Seagulls couldn’t fend off the Foxes in the 2-2 draw.
Midfield: Will Hughes
Hughes was busy in Crystal Palace’s draw with the reigning champions. The 29-year-old carved out three chances at Selhurst Park, the same number as City maestro Kevin De Bruyne, and claimed two assists in the 2-2 draw. The midfielder also completed 100% of his dribbles and won 80% of his ground duels.
Midfield: Cole Palmer
It was the Cole Palmer show on Sunday evening as Chelsea cut Liverpool’s lead at the top to just four points. The Blues came from 2-0 down against Spurs to record a 4-3 win. Palmer confidently dispatched two penalties. He was involved in four chances for Enzo Maresca’s side and had a key part in Enzo Fernández’s goal too. The former Man City youngster completed four of his five dribbles and won 80% of his duels. He was the main man for the surprise title challengers.
Attacking midfield: Morgan Gibbs-White
Gibbs-White claimed a goal and an assist as Nottingham Forest secured a shock upset at Old Trafford on Saturday evening. The versatile midfielder bamboozled André Onana with an effort just moments into the second half before assisting the in-form Chris Wood just seven minutes later. The 24-year-old attempted four dribbles and was involved in 13 duels against Manchester United, proving himself to be effective in and out of possession. The win moved Forest to within two points of fourth-place Man City.
Attacking midfield: Matheus Nunes
Pep Guardiola’s greatest achievement might be turning Matheus Nunes into a genuine attacking threat. The former Wolves midfielder created four chances against Crystal Palace, the most of any player on the pitch. He also claimed an assist, completed three of his four attempted dribbles and involved himself in five tackles as well as 12 duels on the day. It was an all-action display and his 8.8 FotMob rating was more than justified.
Striker: Jarrod Bowen
West Ham won the must-not-lose match against Wolves on Monday evening. The Hammers are now nine points clear of the dropzone, largely because of Bowen. The forward assisted the opener and then scored the winner as Julen Lopetegui got one over on his former employers. The 27-year-old was the only player on the pitch to claim a FotMob rating of over 8.3, proving himself to be the real difference maker on the night.
(Images from IMAGO)
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