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| Andy King scored a fine goal in Leicester's thumping 4-2 win against Manchester City. |
After each round of Premier League fixtures, ESPN FC brings you its
Team of the Weekend. Our panel of experts carefully selects 11 star
performers along with a manager.
Goalkeeper: Gabriele Marcotti chose Manchester
United's David De Gea for a place between the sticks but Steve Nicol and
Shaka Hislop both selected Lukasz Fabianski for his
display as Swansea eased the pressure with a 3-0 win against fellow
strugglers Sunderland. Former Premier League goalkeeper Hislop said:
"It's been a tough season for the Swansea No. 1, in a tough for week in
general for goalkeepers, but Fabianski was solid and reliable."
Right-back: Hector Bellerin's
comeback from injury wasn't scheduled, but his return to the Arsenal
team gave them a great boost as they came from behind to beat Stoke City
3-1. Marcotti makes a solid case for Chelsea's Cesar Azpilicueta, but
Hislop and Nicol outnumber him 2-1, with Hislop pointing out:
"Bellerin's return changed Arsenal for the better and his pace unsettled
Stoke."
Centre-back: It's no surprise that the Premier League's big boys are beginning to circle Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk.
The Dutch defender has been imperious this season and was a key man
once again as the Saints kept their sixth clean sheet in the league this
term with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough. Marcotti took note, saying: "He
was dominant in the air, first to the ball on the ground and dangerous
at the other end."
Centre-back: Phil Jones'
resurgence at Manchester United has been understated, but he put in
another solid shift as Jose Mourinho's men shut out Spurs at Old
Trafford to keep their first Premier League clean sheet since October.
Marcotti and Nicol were full of praise for Jones and his handling of
Harry Kane, with Marcotti saying: "He was strong defensively, didn't
allow himself to be pressed or pulled out of position and matched Kane
at every turn."
Left-back: Watford might have shipped two in their 3-2 win over Everton but Jose Holebas'
performance going forward, which saw him set up two of the Hornets'
goals, sees him rightly nominated for a spot in Team of the Weekend,
although he was run close by Burnley's Stephen Ward. Marcotti said:
"Holebas was steady from the flank and he delivered two pinpoint
assists."
Midfield: Danny Drinkwater's suspension was supposed to cause problems for Leicester City, but judging by the performance of Andy King
in the 4-2 win against Manchester City he won't be missed at all. "No
Drinkwater, no problem," Marcotti enthused. "He did a double duty -- he
scored a beauty that showed he has King Power."
Midfield: Before his departure on a stretcher, Henrikh Mkhitaryan
was Manchester United's main creative outlet and the man who scored
their winning goal against Tottenham. The Armenian has been a revelation
since Jose Mourinho ended his exile and his form has impressed Nicol
and Hislop. "Why was he not playing sooner?" Nicol asks, with Hislop
adding: "He was exceptional throughout. That goal was the finish of a
player in full confidence."
Midfield: If Swansea are going to avoid relegation this season, Gylfi Sigurdsson
is absolutely crucial and he was central to the winning performance
against Sunderland, scoring the first and setting up the second in a 3-0
win. Hislop and Marcotti give him the nod for this weekend's XI, with
Marcotti observing: "He keeps Swansea ticking and his quick brain makes
up for a lack of speed," while Hislop chimes in: "It all came together
this weekend, when it was needed most, but it's got to continue if
Swansea are to survive."
Forward: It was business as usual for Diego Costa,
the Premier League's Player of the Month, as he scored his 12th goal in
15 appearances for the campaign and the TOTW panel could only sit back
and admire his work in Chelsea's 1-0 win over West Brom. "Tireless and
disciplined, he was the difference between one point and three points.
Great goal too," Hislop said. Nicol agreed, adding: "He produced a piece
of magic from nowhere."
Forward: On only his second Premier League start, Stefano Okaka
was Watford's match-winner against Everton, scoring two goals, "One of
them was a goal of the season contender: a gorgeous flying back heel
flick," according to Marcotti, to lift the Hornets to the dizzy heights
of seventh place. His performance also earned him the nod from Hislop.
Forward: Jamie Vardy's hat trick against
Manchester City ended the striker's Premier League goal drought, which
stood at 741 minutes, and lifted some of the gloom around the club
following their poor recent form. "He had a party in Pep-land and tore
up City's fragile backline on the counter-attack," Marcotti said, while
Hislop adds: "Time to party again for the hat trick hero."
Manager: In
a week when his job was questioned and Leicester suffered the heaviest
Champions League defeat of any Premier League club ever, losing 5-0 to
Porto, Claudio Ranieri proved he is still capable of
getting a response from his players. "Leicester dialled the clock back
to last season and were devastating on the break," Marcotti said. "They
have the right character to bounce back." Hislop added: "I was torn
between Ranieri and Bob Bradley but the always likeable Ranieri wins
after cutting a frustrated figure of late."
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