'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Another weekend of the Premier League is in the books, and the 14th round of games saw some exciting action and some fantastic goals – as well as some major results when it comes to the title race.
Liverpool defeated Brighton to keep up their incredible form at the top – while Leicester came from behind to beat Everton 2-1 to remain just 8 points off the league leaders. Manchester City meanwhile dropped points, drawing 2-2 at Newcastle, while Tottenham moved into 5th with a win over Bournemouth.
Plenty of players impressed but the following 5 in particular stood out with superb performances. Here are the 5 star performers of the Premier League weekend.
#1 Jack Grealish
Aston Villa can probably count themselves unlucky not to come away with all three points from their trip to Old Trafford, as their game with Manchester United ended 2-2 in the end, but if they had pulled off the victory, attacker Jack Grealish would’ve taken the majority of the plaudits.
The Villa captain was phenomenal on Sunday, running at United’s defence with absolute confidence and drawing fouls from the likes of Andreas Pereira and Fred who simply couldn’t keep track of him.
In the first half in particular, Grealish was unplayable – and scored one of the goals of the season when he left David De Gea stranded with a whipped shot into the top right hand corner of the net from an improbable angle.
The 24-year-old is not flash and no substance, though; he registered 35 passes in the match with an accuracy of 89% - the second-highest in Villa’s team behind the metronomic Douglas Luiz – and also seemed willing to track back when needed. On this form, how much longer can he be ignored by England?
Also check out: Premier League Premier League Table Champions League Schedule
#2 Virgil Van Dijk
Liverpool again weren’t at their best during Saturday’s game against Brighton & Hove Albion, as the Seagulls managed 12 shots on goal and had the league leaders on the ropes at times, particularly after goalkeeper Alisson Becker was sent off for a deliberate handball outside the box. Thankfully, the Reds could call upon Virgil Van Dijk, and the Dutch centre-back was at his imperious best.
Not only did Van Dijk score Liverpool’s two goals on Saturday – both powerful headers from Trent Alexander-Arnold crosses in the first half – but he also won more aerial duels than any other player in the match, completed 5 clearances to keep Brighton’s attackers at bay, and maintained a high pass success rate of 90%, with 55 accurate passes out of 61.
Liverpool’s deadly attack might gain the most plaudits but Van Dijk is probably their most important player; without him, who knows whether the Reds would still be 8 points clear at the top of the Premier League? Liverpool fans must feel lucky to have him.
#3 Dele Alli
It feels like a cliche to say this after just three games, but Tottenham’s Dele Alli genuinely looks like a player reborn under the managerial guidance of new boss Jose Mourinho. The England international felt like a lost man in the latter days of Mauricio Pochettino’s reign, but this weekend’s win over Bournemouth saw him score two beautiful goals and star in Spurs’ midfield, menacing the Cherries’ defence from start to finish.
Alli’s goals were both things of beauty; both set up by long balls from Toby Alderweireld, the first one saw him clinically finish an incredible first touch from Heung Min Son, and the second saw him somehow wriggle around three defenders before deftly clipping the ball over Aaron Ramsdale and into the net, a goal reminiscent of his brilliant finish against Chelsea in 2018.
Now playing in his favoured position – just behind Harry Kane – Alli seems to be threatening to get back to the form he showed a couple of seasons ago, when he was one of the Premier League’s most feared players. If he keeps this up, opposing defences will start to be terrified again.
#4 Jonjo Shelvey
Newcastle put together a wonderful team performance on Saturday to take a point from Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Manchester City side, and any of their defenders – in particular Federico Fernandez and Jetro Willems – could’ve made this list, but for me the Magpies’ most outstanding player was midfielder Jonjo Shelvey.
Largely starved of the ball – the Magpies were reduced to just 24% of possession during the game – the Newcastle captain for the day had to be largely perfect when he did find an opportunity, and for the most part he was. He completed 25 of his 30 passes during the game – the most of any Newcastle player by some way – and often started his side’s dangerous counter-attacks.
Best of all, Shelvey capped off an impressive individual performance with a phenomenal goal; controlling a short free-kick from Christian Atsu, the Magpies’ captain hit the ball with his right foot first-time, firing it beyond Ederson’s dive and into the bottom corner. Shelvey might be a little inconsistent, but you can’t argue with his quality when he delivers like this.
#5 Kelechi Iheanacho
We’ve seen Liverpool rely on super-subs to get them out of trouble on numerous occasions as of late; Divock Origi and Adam Lallana have both been responsible for gaining valuable points for the Reds in recent times, but this weekend it was Leicester’s turn to call for a hero from the bench – and Nigerian striker Kelechi Iheanacho answered in style.
Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes were 0-1 down and struggling against Everton when Iheanacho replaced Ayoze Perez on 62 minutes, but the former Manchester City man had an almost instant impact, rejuvenating Leicester’s attack and making a nuisance of himself against the Toffees’ 3-man defence.
Just 6 minutes after he was introduced, Iheanacho assisted with a beautiful cross for Jamie Vardy to slam the ball home, and with seconds remaining in the game, the Nigerian collected the ball from a Ricardo Pereira pass to wriggle through Everton’s defence to score his first Premier League goal of the season – in his first league appearance of the season too.
If Leicester somehow manage to overhaul Liverpool’s lead at the top, this will be one of the magical moments Foxes fans will look back on; an inspired game from a super-sub.
