Premier League Team of the Week – Kluivert, Nunez, Foden | OneFootball

Our Premier League Team of the Week from the weekend’s action, featuring Bournemouth’s hat-trick scorer, Liverpool’s last-gasp hero, and Manchester City star returning to his finest form.

Goalkeeper: Emi Martinez – Aston Villa

Emi Martinez frustrated his former side to help Aston Villa to a point at Arsenal. He will have been disappointed not to keep out Kai Havertz’s goal for the Gunners but came to the rescue late on.was A smart stop from Leandro Trossard ensured Villa left the Emirates with a result.

Centre-back: Ilya Zabarnyi – Bournemouth

Alexander Isak could not stop scoring heading into this weekend but the Swede was stumped in finding a route past the Bournemouth backline. Ilya Zabarnyi and Dean Huijsen produced another mature showing in a centre-back pair growing in stature. Zabaryni lost just one of his defensive duels and made nine clearances as Bournemouth earned a big win at St James’.

Centre-back: James Tarkowski – Everton

David Moyes’s best Everton sides were built from the back and James Tarkowski stood out as the former earned the first win of his second spell in charge. The 32-year-old was dominant in the first half against Spurs, including one sliding stop on Heung-min Son. He won 100% of his aerial battles and was involved in the third goal when heading back across goal.

Centre-back: Dean Huijsen – Bournemouth

Bournemouth are building something special and the Cherries are likely to be the subject of approaches from the elite in the summer. Dean Huijsen might just be the best of an exciting crop. The 19-year-old was again outstanding in the win at Newcastle. Huijsen won 100% of his ground duels, blocked four shots and made one clearance off the line, in another performance that defied a teenage talent experiencing his first season in English football.

Right-wing: Yankuba Minteh – Brighton

Arguably his best performance in a Brighton shirt. Minteh was a live-wire as the Seagulls won 3-1 at Manchester United, impressing in one-v-one situations and working tirelessly off the ball. He scored the opener inside five minutes after a lightning breakaway, as Kaoru Mitoma squared unselfishly for the Gambian to turn home.

He returned the favour after the break, with a lifted cross that Mitoma bundled in from close range. The home side could not deal with the movement and speed of the Brighton wingers at Old Trafford.

Midfied: Phil Foden – Manchester City

Phil Foden’s form has been questioned this season but recent weeks have brought flashes of last season’s heights. He was central to Manchester City’s 6-0 win at Ipswich, with two well-taken goals and an assist at Portman Road.

Foden’s sharp touch and finish opened the scoring before making it a brace before half-time after turning in Kevin De Bruyne’s centre. City will be delighted to see signs of his best.

Midfield: Iliman Ndiaye – Everton

A delight to watch – something Evertonians have not been used to with their players in recent seasons.

Iliman Ndiaye is already a fan favourite and produced a moment of magic in the 3-2 win over Tottenham. Bursting from inside his own half, he sent Radu Dragusin to the shops with a stepover before slamming in Everton’s second. If Moyes has learnt anything from his opening days back at the Blues, it’s that Ndiaye needs the freedom to make things happen.

Midfield: Justin Kluivert – Bournemouth

Newcastle fans did not see the best of Patrick Kluivert during his time at St James’ Park but they certainly saw the best of their former striker’s son, Justin, this week. Unfortunately for Newcastle, Kluivert’s devastating performance was in a Bournemouth shirt as he helped himself to a hat-trick in the North East. It was a masterclass of finishing from the Dutchman, who emphatically ended Newcastle’s winning run.

Left-wing: Jeremy Doku – Manchester City

When Jeremy Doku is in this mood he can be nearly unplayable. The Belgian continued his impressive recent form as Manchester City made light work of Ipswich Town at Portman Road.

Doku danced through the home side’s defence to score City’s fourth of the game before teeing up Erling Haaland to add an assist to his afternoon’s work. He’s now recorded seven goal involvements in his last three appearances for the Citizens.

Forward: Jean-Phillipe Mateta – Crystal Palace

Konstantinos Mavropanos will be glad he doesn’t have to face Jean-Phillipe Mateta every week. The West Ham defender was rag-dolled by Mateta at the London Stadium, who bullied the host’s backline.

Mateta opened the scoring with a rifled finish as West Ham stood off him, before drawing two fouls from Mavropanos that saw the Greek sent off. The best was a brilliant nutmeg before being hacked down as the centre-back struggled to contain the Palace forward.

He then powerfully carried the ball from inside his own half in the build-up to Eddie Nketiah winning a penalty. Mateta squeezed the spot-kick under Lukasz Fabianski for his second of the game.

Forward: Darwin Nunez – Liverpool

For a player who has had his fair share of flak, this was a welcome high. Nunez came off the bench to score two late goals as Brentford, with a last-gasp brace that could be crucial to the club’s title chase.

His first was smartly taken from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cutback before the Uruguayan lashed in a second moments later. This will do his confidence the world of good.

Read – Haaland apologises and the Lazio falconer shares too much

See more – Every Premier League player to score two hat-tricks away in a season

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