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Premier League Team of the Week - Rashford, De Bruyne, Pickford

Sports Mole selects its Premier League Team of the Week, including Kevin De Bruyne, Marcus Rashford and Jordan Pickford.

An enthralling and highly controversial weekend of Premier League action has come to a close, where goal-laden performances and VAR drama dominated the headlines.

League leaders Arsenal saw their 100% record come to an end in a 3-1 loss to Manchester United, but they remain ahead of Manchester City in the table after the champions were held to a 1-1 draw by Aston Villa.

Tottenham Hotspur edged past Fulham 2-1 in their London derby to remain third, while Liverpool and Everton's Merseyside derby ended all square in an exciting goalless stalemate.

Chelsea came from behind to record a 2-1 win over West Ham United, who were on the wrong end of one of the many disputed VAR calls, while Brighton & Hove Albion thumped a hapless Leicester City side 5-2.

Seven goals were also to be had when Brentford demolished Leeds United by the same scoreline, but neither Newcastle United nor Crystal Palace could make the breakthrough at St James' Park in a 0-0 draw.

Elsewhere, Bournemouth came from two goals behind to sink fellow newly-promoted side Nottingham Forest 3-2, and Wolverhampton Wanderers got the better of Southampton 1-0.

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


DEFENCE

Everton's Jordan Pickford saves a shot from Liverpool's Darwin Nunez on September 3, 2022© Reuters

Fine goalkeeping performances were aplenty over the weekend, but not selecting Everton number one Jordan Pickford would have been criminal, as the England man kept Liverpool at bay with eight wonderful saves, including a stellar tip onto the crossbar from Darwin Nunez's volley at Goodison.

How Newcastle's game with Palace ended goalless was the question on everyone's lips at St James', but it was not for the want of trying by Kieran Trippier, who made six key passes and won all four of his ground duels during an assured performance.

A steadfast member of the Eagles' defence also weaves his way into our four-man backline this week, as Palace centre-back Joachim Andersen made an astounding 17 clearances, three interceptions and two blocks to thwart Newcastle, although he was counting his lucky starts that an early error did not lead to a goal for Alexander Isak.

While Pickford was undeniably on top form when he needed to be in the Merseyside derby, he was aided by the efforts of new recruit James Tarkowski, who came up with eight clearances, four blocks and three interceptions alongside Conor Coady, which could blossom into a promising partnership.

Finally, Ben Chilwell needed just 19 minutes of action to help turn the tide in Chelsea's favour against West Ham, as the left-back managed to squeeze home the equaliser from a tight angle before picking out Kai Havertz for the winning goal at Stamford Bridge.


MIDFIELD

Brighton & Hove Albion's Alexis Mac Allister celebrates scoring a disallowed goal on September 4, 2022© Reuters

Man City may have only left Villa Park with one point on Saturday evening, but the creative brilliance of Kevin De Bruyne was there for all to see once again, as the Belgian assisted Erling Braut Haaland with a pinpoint cross to the back stick, was unlucky not to score with a free kick that hit the crossbar and made a total of six key passes on the day.

Cherries fans were once again fearing the worst when Forest stormed into a 2-0 lead at the City Ground, but an absolutely sumptuous effort from Philip Billing sparked the Bournemouth comeback, as the Dane took a touch before unleashing a 30-yard screamer beyond Dean Henderson.

Brighton & Hove Albion's Alexis Mac Allister could very well have rivalled Billing for the goal of the weekend award, but the Argentinian did not let his disallowed thunderbolt sour his mood against Leicester, who witnessed Mac Allister calmly slot a penalty down the middle before a stunning free kick capped off a fine display.


ATTACK

Brentford's Ivan Toney celebrates scoring their second goal on September 3, 2022© Reuters

Billing initiated the Bournemouth fightback at the City Ground, and an inspired Dominic Solanke would help the Cherries complete that dramatic turnaround on Saturday, firstly scoring a peach of a bicycle kick - albeit a deflected one - before pressuring Scott McKenna into a mistake and finding Jaidon Anthony for the winner.

Manchester United needed just three moments of quality to condemn Arsenal to a first loss of the campaign, and a reinvigorated Marcus Rashford was involved in all three, as his deft pass set up Antony for his maiden Red Devils goal before adding a second-half brace as the Gunners' defence and midfield was carved open.

An all-English attacking lineup is spearheaded by the weekend's most potent number nine, as Brentford talisman Ivan Toney scored three unique and wonderful goals in the thumping of Leeds - a confident penalty, a postage-stamp free kick and finally a 25-yard chip into an empty net with Illan Meslier in no man's land.


SPORTS MOLE'S PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM OF THE WEEK

PL TOTW GW6

Sports Mole's Premier League Team of the Week (4-3-3): Pickford; Trippier, Andersen, Tarkowski, Chilwell; De Bruyne, Billing, Mac Allister; Solanke, Toney, Rashford


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Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133


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