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Premier League Team of the Week - Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez, Bukayo Saka

Sports Mole selects its Premier League team of the week for gameweek 20, including Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez and Bukayo Saka.

Premier League history was made in gameweek 20 as Manchester City became the ninth different team to end a day as league leaders courtesy of their 5-0 hammering of relegation-threatened West Bromwich Albion.

Pep Guardiola's side then held on to top spot when nearest challengers Manchester United fell to a shock home defeat at the hands of rock-bottom Sheffield United.

Third-placed Leicester City also dropped points in their draw with Everton, allowing champions Liverpool to close the gap on the top three by returning to winning ways at the expense of Tottenham Hotspur.

West Ham United are also flying high following their 3-2 triumph over Crystal Palace, while Leeds United and Arsenal were also victorious on the road.

Chelsea's Thomas Tuchel era began with a goalless draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Burnley won a topsy-turvy affair against Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Fulham ended goalless.

Here, Sports Mole selects its Premier League team of the week for gameweek 20.



PL TOTW GW20

For the second time this season, Burnley had Nick Pope to thank for getting something from a game against Aston Villa, with the keeper again in fine form to set up the foundations for his side's 3-2 win.

However, he narrowly misses out on a place in this week's team to Fulham shot-stopper Alphonse Areola, whose clean sheet gives him the edge. Areola made five saves to keep Brighton at bay, including a fine one late on to earn his side a point.

That save could have been worth even more had Fulham nicked a victory even later on, but they were denied that by Lewis Dunk's goalline clearance at the death.

There was plenty of competition for places at centre-back too, with Harry Maguire and Craig Dawson on the scoresheet and John Stones putting in another assured display for Man City.

Sheffield United's centre-backs also deserve mentions for their role in the stunning win at Old Trafford, and Phil Jagielka does make the cut having led the Blades' resistance.

Two outstanding performances at right-back mean that Joao Cancelo is forced over to the left in this XI, beating Cedric Soares and Kean Bryan to that spot.

Cancelo scored one and created another in Man City's rout of West Brom, a haul Trent Alexander-Arnold matched as Liverpool rounded off the gameweek with victory at Spurs.

The deeper midfield positions were also straightforward choices in this week's team, with Ilkay Gundogan and Tomas Soucek both getting on the scoresheet twice apiece.

Gundogan was arguably the standout performer out of many candidates for that mantle in Man City's win over West Brom, while Soucek was also a shoo-in, but there was plenty of competition in the middle of the park with Declan Rice, John Fleck and John Lundstram among those worthy of a mention.

The most competitive places in this week's XI came in the trio behind the striker, though, meaning that the likes of Raheem Sterling, Jack Grealish and Dwight McNeil miss out despite fine performances.

Bukayo Saka, Raphinha and Sadio Mane all helped themselves to a goal and an assist in their respective matches, though, with the latter also having a major say in Liverpool's other goal against Tottenham, and the decisive nature of their contributions is ultimately what earns them the nod above the numerous other candidates for the roles.

Man City's Riyad Mahrez leads the line having also registered a goal and an assist for Man City, beating Alexandre Lacazette, Chris Wood and Ollie Watkins to the centre-forward role.

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Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane celebrates scoring against Leeds on January 2, 2021
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30-23
Chargers
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1210112481631
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Fulham125341717018
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle125341313018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham124351519-415
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton121110924-154


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