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Premier League Team of the Week - David de Gea, Raheem Sterling, James Maddison

Sports Mole selects its Premier League Team of the Week for gameweek 16, including David de Gea, Raheem Sterling and James Maddison

Gameweek 16 of the 2021-22 Premier League season is done and dusted, with Manchester City still leading the way after seeing off Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0.

Liverpool kept the pressure on the leaders by beating Aston Villa by the same scoreline, while Chelsea remain third after sinking Leeds United 3-2 in the capital.

Manchester United's unbeaten start under Ralf Rangnick continued with a 1-0 success at Norwich City, but West Ham United were held to a goalless stalemate by Burnley.

Arsenal returned to winning ways with an emphatic 3-0 win over Southampton to leapfrog COVID-hit Tottenham Hotspur, whose clash with Brighton & Hove Albion was postponed.

Elsewhere, Leicester City thrashed Newcastle United 4-0, Brentford dramatically overcame Watford 2-1, and Crystal Palace saw off Everton 3-1.

Here, Sports Mole selects its Team of the Week for gameweek 16 of the Premier League season.


DEFENCE

Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea pictured in August 2021© Reuters

There were a number of standout performances in between the sticks this weekend, but none more so than David de Gea's stellar display at Carrow Road, as the Man United stopper made five saves from shots inside the area to preserve his side's clean sheet.

Attackers did not steal the show during Liverpool's clash with Villa either, but Joel Matip was simply a rock at the back for the Reds, winning all six of his aerial duels, making two interceptions, two tackles and posting a 93% pass accuracy.

Not long after seeing his goal at the Emirates ruled out, Gabriel Magalhaes rose highest to score Arsenal's third against Southampton, and the ever-reliable Brazilian also won three out of four aerial duels and made five clearances for Mikel Arteta's side.

The final member of our backline filled in at centre-back with an exemplary performance on Friday night, as Vitaly Janelt won seven out of eight ground duels, six out of eight aerial duels and completed 3/3 successful dribbles in a frenzied win over Watford.


MIDFIELD

Manchester City's Raheem Sterling scores from the penalty spot on December 11, 2021 © Reuters

Moved back over to the right-hand side for the encounter with Wolves, Man City's Joao Cancelo continues to enjoy his most productive season under Pep Guardiola and starred at the weekend with four key passes, four tackles and 7/8 accurate long balls.

While Cancelo played a vital role in his side's victory, it was Raheem Sterling who would bag the winner from the spot to take him up to 100 Premier League goals at the tender age of 27, and he also posted a 93% pass accuracy at the Etihad Stadium.

It was a challenge to stick to just three central midfielders given the plethora of top-class engine room displays this weekend, but there simply had to be a spot for Conor Gallagher, who bagged a brace in the win over Everton - his second was truly a thing of beauty - and he also chipped in defensively with four tackles for the Eagles.

Midfielders also ran the show during Leicester's battle with Newcastle, as James Maddison came up with a goal and assist in that 4-0 win while also winning his side six fouls on the day. Alongside the creative hub, Youri Tielemans found the back of the net twice and also made five tackles in an all-action display for the Foxes.


ATTACK

Alexandre Lacazette celebrates scoring for Arsenal in December 2021© Reuters

Benefitting from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's absence due to a disciplinary breach, Alexandre Lacazette finished off a sweeping Arsenal move with a rifled effort into the top corner against Southampton to break the deadlock, and the Frenchman will hope for more of the same before his expected departure in the summer.

Another Leicester man to steal the show in the thumping of Newcastle came in the form of Patson Daka, who alongside Maddison also claimed a goal and assist on the day to send Brendan Rodgers a clear selection message as Jamie Vardy enters the last knocking of his career.


SPORTS MOLE'S PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM OF THE WEEK



PL TOTW GW16

Sports Mole's Premier League Team of the Week (3-5-2): De Gea; Matip, Gabriel, Janelt; Cancelo, Gallagher, Tielemans, Maddison, Sterling; Daka, Lacazette


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Leicester City's Jamie Vardy celebrates scoring against Burnley in the Premier League on September 25, 2021
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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool16123137162139
2Chelsea17105237191835
3Arsenal1796234161833
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest179442319431
5Bournemouth178452721628
6Aston Villa178452626028
7Manchester CityMan City178362925427
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle177552721626
9Fulham176742422225
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton176742726125
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1772839251423
12Brentford177283232023
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd176472122-122
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham175572230-820
15Everton163761421-716
16Crystal Palace173771826-816
17Leicester CityLeicester173592137-1614
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1733112740-1312
19Ipswich TownIpswich172691632-1612
20Southampton1713131136-256


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