MX23RW : Sunday, April 28 20:14:04| >> :60:807:807:

Premier League Team of the Week - Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Dejan Kulusevski

Sports Mole picks its Premier League Team of the Week, including Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah and Dejan Kulusevski.

The Premier League title race has been blown wide open following the weekend's fixtures, with leaders Manchester City suffering a shock 3-2 defeat at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Liverpool - who have a game in hand - have now cut the gap at the top to six points after seeing off Norwich City 3-1, and Chelsea kept their fleeting hopes of glory alive by beating Crystal Palace 1-0.

Manchester United ended the gameweek in fourth after a thrilling 4-2 success over Leeds United, with top-four rivals West Ham United dropping points in a 1-1 draw with Newcastle United.

Arsenal kept their Champions League dreams very much alive with a 2-1 London derby win over Brentford, while Wolverhampton Wanderers remain in contention for Europe after ending the weekend with a 2-1 success over Leicester City.

Elsewhere, Southampton eased past Everton 2-0, Watford ran out 1-0 winners at Aston Villa and Burnley turned up the heat to sink Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 at the Amex.

Here, Sports Mole selects its Premier League Team of the Week for the latest round of matches.


DEFENCE

Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Jose Sa celebrates on February 20, 2022© Reuters

Wolves number one Jose Sa continues to stake his claim for the Goalkeeper of the Season award, and with good reason too, as the Portuguese played a vital role in his side's narrow win over Leicester at Molineux, coming up with six saves and four high claims in front of the home crowd.

Chelsea may be cursing their decision to allow Tino Livramento to head for the South Coast amid Reece James's injury woes, as the 19-year-old once again starred in the success over Everton, claiming one assist as well as making four tackles, three clearances, two interceptions and winning five of his six ground duels.

Standout centre-back performances were somewhat at a premium this weekend, and while Craig Dawson's goal and nine clearances went unrewarded as West Ham drew with Newcastle, the Englishman is worthy of a place nonetheless.

A sense of new-found defensive solidity has embodied Watford since Roy Hodgson's appointment to the dugout, and Craig Cathcart put in a man-of-the-match display at Villa Park, making four clearances and three blocks as well as posting an 88% pass accuracy.

Finally, he may have ballooned a gilt-edged opportunity over the bar in the early exchanges against Norwich, but Kostas Tsimikas recovered to claim an assist, win six of his eight ground duels and make four tackles to ensure that Andy Robertson could rest easy on the sidelines.


MIDFIELD

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring their second goal on February 16, 2022© Reuters

He may have been unable to equal a goals and assists feat last achieved by Didier Drogba, but Mohamed Salah's 150th Liverpool goal was as well-taken as we have come to expect from the scintillating Egyptian, who was unlucky not to set one up after playing six key passes to his teammates.

Salah's teammate Jordan Henderson was a worthy mention for this Team of the Week, but it was impossible to look past two of his compatriots, starting with Burnley's Josh Brownhill, who chipped in with a goal, five tackles, three interceptions and two blocks in an all-action performance against Brighton.

There are no prizes for guessing who is at the heart and soul of Southampton's sudden surge in form, with dead-ball talisman James Ward-Prowse creating three big chances against Everton and posting a 91% pass accuracy - catching the eye at St Mary's despite not bagging a goal or assist for himself.

Tottenham boss Antonio Conte has always been quick to stress that there is a lot of improvement for Dejan Kulusevski to make, but a goal and an assist against Man City is no mean feat, as the on-loan Juventus attacker just edges out teammate Son Heung-min for this spot.


ATTACK

Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane celebrates scoring their third goal on February 19, 2022© Reuters

Wout Weghorst's introduction to life in the Premier League has been met with unbridled optimism by the Burnley fans, and rightly so, with the Netherlands international netting a powerful strike at Brighton before assisting Brownhill's effort after some strong hold-up play - par for the course given his 6ft 5in frame.

As impressive as Weghorst was at the Amex, it was Harry Kane's showing against admirers Man City that was on everyone's lips on Saturday night, as the England skipper - who the Citizens had four summer bids rejected for - produced his finest performance of the season with a brace at the Etihad, and he was in the right place at the right time to cap off a dominant display with an unforgettable last-minute winner.


SPORTS MOLE'S PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM OF THE WEEK

PL TOTW GW26

Sports Mole's Premier League Team of the Week (4-4-2): Sa; Livramento, Dawson, Cathcart, Tsimikas; Salah, Ward-Prowse, Brownhill, Kulusevski; Weghorst, Kane


ID:478680:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect9397:
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Liverpool attacker Diogo Jota pictured on February 10, 2022
Read Next:
Premier League Team of the Week - Jota, Ramsdale, Coutinho
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free daily transfer newsletter! Sent twice a day during the transfer window.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Result
Baez
Fritz
2 3
6 6
Result
Griekspoor
Rune
6 4 6
4 6 3
Result
Humbert
Struff
5 4
7 6
Result
Hurkacz
Altmaier
6 77
4 62
10am
Paul
Cerundolo
Result
Rublev
Davidovich Fokina
712 6
610 4
Result
Seyboth Wild
Alcaraz
3 3
6 6
10am
Shapovalov
Zverev
Result
Sherif
Rybakina
1 4
6 6
Result
Krueger
Bejlek
3 1
6 6
Result
Putintseva
Dolehide
6 6
2 2
Result
Pavlyuchenkova
Kasatkina
65 5
77 7
Result
Vondrousova
Andreeva
5 1
7 6
Result
Garcia
Paolini
3 2
6 6
Result
Collins
Cristian
3 6 6
6 4 1
7.10pm
Montgomery
Sabalenka
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal35255585285780
2Manchester CityMan City34247382325079
3Liverpool35229477364175
4Aston Villa35207873522167
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs33186967521560
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd34166125251154
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle341651374551953
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham351310125665-949
9Chelsea33139116359448
10Bournemouth35139135260-848
11Wolverhampton WanderersWolves35137154855-746
12Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton341111125257-544
13Fulham35127165155-443
14Crystal Palace351010154557-1240
15Everton35128153748-1136
16Brentford3598185260-835
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3579194262-2026
18Luton TownLuton3567224877-2925
19Burnley3559213870-3224
RSheffield UnitedSheff Utd3537253497-6316


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!