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 draw out to finish off a thrilling weekend of soccer.
While name rivals Manchester City thrashed Brighton 4-0 liverpool kept their 100% start at Burnley.
Together with Manchester United drawing 1-1 in Southampton, Sheffield United held chelsea 2-2.
Leicester impressed with a triumph over Bournemouth, West Ham beat Norwich 2-0, Crystal Palace found off Aston Villa 1-0 and Newcastle drew. In a 3-2 thriller Everton beat Wolves in Sunday’s other game.
Here is my group of the week – have a read and pick your own below.
I believe it’s perfectly acceptable for a goalkeeper to rely on his defensive device just as far as his defenders can depend on him. The association between keeper Adrian and also the Liverpool four has had its positive and negative moments.
Adrian’s performance against Burnley, nevertheless, was about as good as it gets. The Spanish keeper made a superb save from Chris Wood at a critical period in the first half, while his defensive unit made sure Adrian wasn’t required to return to their rescue. For the first time because Adrian took over in the injured Alisson Liverpool looked comfortable. The future is starting to look Red.
Did you know? Adrian has a 73 percent save percentage in the Premier League this year. Of course goalkeepers with three or more begins in 2019-20, only three have a better percentage (Vicente Guaita 80%, Ederson 77 percent and Hugo Lloris 76 percent ).
Fabian Schar: This was a very different test to the one facing Newcastle a week from Spurs. I posed the question’would the Magpies assault with the same conviction as they defended White Hart Lane?” Well, the operation was not quite as persuasive but good enough to contain a Watford side desperate for points.
Schar played a large role in this controlledoperation by Newcastle. They did not panic if they went 1-0 down and that he took his goal with fantastic composure. Not bad for a centre-back.
Did you know? Since the start of all 2019, five Premier League targets have been scored by Schar, more. Four of them have come at St James’ Park.
Virgil van Dijk: It was only a matter of time until Virgil van Dijk resumed his place. This week the Dutchman was indulging himself award ceremonies with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. I suppose if you’re likely to be among the best players in the world these events have to be appreciated.
Nevertheless it was pleasant to see him his tuxedo for the familiar away colors of Liverpool Football Club against Burnley and turn in a stellar performance. This game was a stroll in the park. Good to have you back in my group Virgil, of this week.
Did you know? Liverpool have won 73 percent of the Premier League games when Virgil van Dijk is now showcased, with all the Reds suffering only four defeats from these 56 matches (W41 D11 L4).
Jannik Vestergaard: After Jannik Vestergaard out-jumped Victor Lindelof to nod home a brilliant headed equaliser against Manchester United, my instant thought was he wouldn’t have done that to Chris Smalling.
The former United centre-back, on loan in Roma, finds himself surplus to requirements – together with Romelu Lukaku along with Alexis Sanchez – only for United’s manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to have the nerve to state his squad is looking somewhat thin. The Red Devils are looking anything besides devilish right now. In fact they looked insipid and unconvincing against a 10-man Southampton side that should have been placed away.
Did you know? Vestergaard played with his first Premier League goal for Southampton in his 27th league appearance for the club, getting the third largest player to score for the Saints in the Premier League, after Ronnie Ekelund and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Kevin Bruyne: He scored the first goal and set up the second at a performance that simply oozed class. The Belgium international has now contributed five assists in four matches and in this rate could find himself at the late teens and even reaching 20 within an injury-free season. This would spell disaster for Liverpool naturally. Only a thought!
Did you know? De Bruyne was engaged 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 have to make an exception. Jack Grealish not just gave a captain’s performance against Crystal Palace but was robbed of the role he played in providing Villa with what would have been a remarkable and justified equaliser.
Kevin Buddy’s shocking decision to disallow Henri Lansbury’s 96th-minute target after Grealish’s excellent run positions among the worst decisions I have seen in years. What Friend did not view (and I really did ) was Grealish get bumped by Wilfried Zaha because he entered the box, and that propelled Grealish to the floor. You truly see Zaha, together with hands raised, appeal to the Army to say no penalty. This was truly an outrageous choice.
Did you know? Grealish has created the most chances of almost any Aston Villa participant in the Premier League this season (eight), together with all but one of these coming from open play.
Roberto Firmino: I have mentioned it before and I’ll mention it again, if Roberto Firmino is about song consequently are Liverpool. The Brazilian orchestrated a masterclass by the Merseysiders from a Burnley side who, however, for a brief event, never appeared at the match.
Maybe Firmino can cure the clear rift between Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane since it might appear manager Jurgen Klopp is having trouble. For Mane to burst publicly, as he did in being substituted after Salah had so clearly ignored him on two occasions in scoring positions, was fully warranted. Salah can’t play with this match – a point Firmino clearly understands.
Did you know? Firmino became the first Brazilian to evaluate 50 Premier League goals. He’s the only real player to reach the milestone for Liverpool – no other club has had more (par with Manchester United).
Christian Eriksen: When I noticed Eriksen was starting this north London derby I instantly thought, Spurs can’t lose this match. I had been right, they didn’t lose the game – but they must have won it. Eriksen is really a class activity and if he’s on his game there are several greater.
It had been the Dane who bust a gut to catch up using the drama and tap home the loose rebound from the Erik Lamela shot. Spurs look like they might hang on to Eriksen for a little while longer, which is just too since they have nobody that can take care of the ball . As for Arsenal, it is a fantastic job. He is a Granit Xhaka with brains.
Did you know? Eriksen has now scored 50 Premier League goals – the very first Danish player to reach this landmark. He’s the first participant to register both 50+ goals and aids for Spurs in the contest.
Jordan Ayew: This game was not a classic by any means but it did produce discussing points. Jordan Ayew was very unlucky not to make my group of the week following his performance against Manchester United. However there’s no doubt about his choice this week after forcing his way past Tyrone Mings to score in the 73rd minute and provide the Eagles with three points for the 2nd consecutive week.
Mings, on the other hand, might have been contained in the England squad that was recent but that does not make him an England player.
Did you know? When he had been an Aston Villa player ayew has scored in Premier League games for the very first time since December 2015.
Sergio Aguero: The Artful Dodger was at it again. Sergio Aguero has been on the prowl from a Brighton side who had the audacity to go toe to toe with Manchester City. Aguero’s two superbly taken goals not so much picked on pockets taking candy from a baby.
I can’t work out if it was utter hubris from Graham Potter to think he can beat Manchester City in their very own game, or if he wanted to continue using his theme of his group playing football whatever the consequences. I must say Brighton and attractive football are currently playing – I’ll give him .
Did you know? Aguero has scored 99 Premier League goals at the Etihad – just Thierry Henry at Highbury (114) and Wayne Rooney at Old Trafford (101) have scored more at one place in Premier League history.
Jamie Vardy apart from his exploits under Brendan Rogers there is not any doubt concerning it,” Jamie Vardy is back to his very best. His goal was an end of the maximum order and his second was a heist. Exactly what Claude Puel did for this lad’s kind when he was in charge should call into question his ability to handle any given level.
As Bournemouth, they need to have been playing against a 10-man Leicester for. The tackle with Youri Tielemans on Callum Wilson has been a shocker. I don’t care whether the participant wasn’t looking or, the tackle 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 who would you go for?
Pick your XI.
Is it me or has the quality of refereeing in the Premier League dropped? I can’t remember so many decisions produced by the guy in the middle so early in the 24, when I have seen. There’s not any doubt in my mind that VAR has made a difference to this game’s dynamic, but that I also sense it’s generated uncertainty among our officials.
It should be the referee’s decision that is final. Not VAR.
It cannot be helpful if every single time you make. Referees deserve our security. Uefa’s strategy must be followed by the Premier League and provide a chance to view replays from the technical area in case of an obvious mistake or a contentious issue to the referee, and allow him to decide whether his decision was wrong or right.
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