Garth Crooks’ team of the week: Van Dijk, De Bruyne, Grealish, Eriksen, Vardy

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From Garth Crooks
Football analyst
Spurs and arsenal played a thrilling 2-2 draw out to complete a thrilling weekend of football.
While name rivals Manchester City thrashed Brighton 4-0 liverpool kept their 100% start at Burnley.
With Manchester United drawing Sheffield United held chelsea 2-2.
Leicester impressed again with a 3-1 triumph over Bournemouth, West Ham beat at Norwich 2-0, Crystal Palace saw off Aston Villa 1-0 and Newcastle drew. In a 3-2 thriller Everton beat against Wolves in Sunday’s other match.
Here is my team of this week – have a read and select your own under.
I believe it’s perfectly okay for a goalkeeper to rely upon his defensive unit equally as much as his defenders can rely on him. The association between stand-in keeper Adrian and also the Liverpool back four has had its good and bad moments.
Adrian’s performance against Burnley was about as good as it gets. The man made a superb save from Chris Wood in a critical time in the first half, although his defensive unit made sure Adrian was not needed to come to their rescue. For the first time because Adrian took over in the wounded Alisson Liverpool appeared comfortable. The future is starting to look Red.
Did you know? Adrian includes a 73% save percentage in the Premier League this year. Of goalkeepers using three or more begins in 2019-20, just three have a better percent (Vicente Guaita 80%, Ederson 77% and Hugo Lloris 76 percent ).
Fabian Schar: This was a very different test to the one facing Newcastle a week against Spurs. I posed the question’could the Magpies attack with the identical certainty as they defended at White Hart Lane?” Well, the operation wasn’t good although quite as persuasive enough to include a Watford side desperate for things.
Schar played a big part by Newcastle in the , specialist performance that was controlled. They did not panic if they went 1-0 down and he took his goal with composure. Not bad for a centre-back.
Did you know? Since the beginning of 2019, five Premier League goals have been scored by Schar, more. Four of these have come at St James’ Park.
Virgil van Dijk: It was just a matter of time until Virgil van Dijk resumed his place in my team of the week. This week that the Dutchman was indulging himself at award ceremonies with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. I suppose if you’re likely to be one of the best players in the world these events have to be attended.
However it was pleasant to see him exchange his tuxedo to the familiar away colors of Liverpool Football Club against Burnley and turn in a stellar performance. For Van Dijkthis game was a stroll in the park. Great to have you back in my team of the week.
Did you know? Liverpool have won 73% of their Premier League games when Virgil van Dijk has featured, with the Reds suffering only four defeats in those 56 matches (W41 D11 L4).
Jannik Vestergaard: After Jannik Vestergaard out-jumped Victor Lindelof to nod home a dazzling headed equaliser against Manchester United, my immediate thought was that he would not have done that to Chris Smalling.
The former United centre-back, on loan in Roma, finds himself surplus to needs – along with Romelu Lukaku along with Alexis Sanchez – just for United’s manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to then have the guts to say his group is looking a bit thin. The Red Devils are looking anything aside from devilish at the moment. Actually they looked insipid and unconvincing from a 10-man Southampton side who must have been placed away.
Did you know? Vestergaard played with his first Premier League goal for Southampton in his 27th league appearance for the team, becoming the third Danish player to score to the Saints in the Premier League, following Ronnie Ekelund and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Kevin Bruyne: He also scored the first goal and set up the moment at a performance that oozed class. The Belgium international has now contributed five assists in four games and at this rate could find himself from the late teens and even attaining 20 in an injury-free season. This could spell disaster for Liverpool of course. Only a thought!
Did you know? De Bruyne was included in nine goals in his previous seven Premier League starts (two goals, seven assists).
Jack Grealish: I do not normally select players on the losing side but on this occasion I must make an exception. Jack Grealish not merely gave a captain’s performance against Crystal Palace but was robbed of the part he played in providing Villa with what would have been a remarkable and justified equaliser.
Kevin Buddy’s shocking conclusion to disallow Henri Lansbury’s 96th-minute target after Grealish’s brilliant run positions among the worst decisions I have seen lately. What Buddy didn’t see (and I did) had been Grealish get pounded by Wilfried Zaha since he entered the box, and that propelled Grealish into the ground. You actually see Zaha, with hand raised, appeal to the referee. This was an outrageous decision.
Did you know? Grealish has generated the most chances of any Aston Villa participant in the Premier League this year (eight), together with all but one of these coming from open play.
Roberto Firmino: I’ve mentioned it before and I will state it again, if Roberto Firmino is on tune consequently are Liverpool. The Brazilian orchestrated a masterclass by the Merseysiders against a Burnley side , but for a brief event, never looked in the match.
Perhaps Firmino can cure the apparent rift between Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane because it might seem boss Jurgen Klopp is having trouble. For Mane to burst publicly, as he did being substituted after Salah had so clearly ignored him on two occasions after in scoring positions, was completely justified. Salah can not play with this sport – .
Did you know? Firmino became the first Brazilian to score 50 Premier League targets. He is the ninth player to reach the landmark for Liverpool – no additional club has ever had more (par with Manchester United).
Spiritual Eriksen: When I saw Eriksen was beginning this north London derby I instantly thought, Spurs can not lose this game. I was right, they didn’t lose the match – but they ought to have won it. Eriksen is a class activity and when he’s on his game you will find few better.
It had been the Dane who bust a gut to catch up with the drama and tap house the loose rebound in the Erik Lamela shot. Spurs look like they may hang on to Eriksen for some time longer, which can be just too as they have no-one who can handle the ball . In terms of Arsenal, it’s a fantastic job they’ve Matteo Guendouzi. He is a Granit Xhaka with brains.
Did you know? Eriksen has scored 50 Premier League targets – the first Danish participant to achieve this landmark. He’s the first player to enroll 50+ goals and aids for Spurs in the contest.
Jordan Ayew: This match wasn’t a classic by any means but it didn’t produce talking points. Jordan Ayew was very unlucky not to make my team of the week after his operation against Manchester United. However there’s absolutely little doubt about his selection this week after forcing his way past Tyrone Mings to score in the 73rd minute and supply the Eagles with three points for the 2nd consecutive week.
Mings, on the other hand, might have been included from the new England squad but that doesn’t make him an England player.
Did you know? Ayew has scored in Premier League games once he had been an Aston Villa player.
Sergio Aguero: The Artful Dodger was it . Sergio Aguero has been on the prowl from a Brighton side who had the audacity to go toe to toe with Manchester City. The two superbly taken goals of aguero were not so much picking pockets taking candy from a kid.
I can not work out if it was hubris by Graham Potter to think whether he wanted to continue with his theme of his group playing attractive football regardless of the consequences, or he could beat Manchester City at their very own game. I have to say Brighton are currently playing soccer – I’ll give that to him.
Did you know? Aguero has scored 99 Premier League targets at the Etihad – just Thierry Henry in Highbury (114) and Wayne Rooney at Old Trafford (101) have scored greater in a single venue in Premier League history.
Jamie Vardy besides his goalscoring exploits under Brendan Rogers there is little doubt concerning it,” Jamie Vardy is right back to his very best. His first aim was an end of the maximum order and his next was a heist. When he was in charge Exactly what Claude Puel did to the lad’s form must call into question his capacity to manage any level.
As Bournemouth, they ought to have been playing against a 10-man Leicester for. The tackle with Youri Tielemans on Callum Wilson has been a shocker. I really don’t care if the participant was not looking or, the speech was mistimed, it was reckless and he should have gone.
Did you know? Vardy has been directly engaged in 14 goals in 14 Premier League matches beneath Brendan Rodgers (12 goals, two assists).
You have seen my choices. But that would you opt for?
Pick your XI out of our listing and share with your friends.
Is it me or has the quality of refereeing in the Premier League dropped? I can’t remember when I have seen so many decisions produced by the guy in the middle early. There’s absolutely little doubt in my mind that VAR has produced a difference to the game’s dynamic, but I sense it’s created uncertainty.
It ought to be the referee’s decision that is final. Not VAR.
It cannot be helpful if every single time you make. Referees deserve our security. The Premier League should follow the approach of Uefa and give an opportunity to see replays from the technical area in case of a clear mistake or a contentious issue to the referee, and let him decide whether his initial decision was right or wrong.
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