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The fourth matchday of the 2021-22 English Premier League season witnessed some great individual performances. Cristiano Ronaldo returned to his old club, Manchester United, in their match against Newcastle United and scored a brace. His compatriot Bruno Fernandes was also at his best in the middle of the pitch, dictating the tempo of the game.
Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku scored once on either side of half-time to lead the Blues to a 3-0 win against Aston Villa. New signing Odsonne Edouard scored twice in the dying minutes against Tottenham Hotspur to help Crystal Palace to a shock 3-0 win. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane were also on target as Liverpool returned to winning ways in style with a 3-0 victory at Leeds United.
Matchday five of the English Premier League promises engaging football and compelling individual performances. Picking five from a sea of talented individuals is hardly a straightforward job, but we are surely going to try. Here are five players to look out for in the fifth gameweek of Premier League 2021-22.
#5 Nicolas Pepe - Arsenal
Under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal endured their worst start to a league campaign in the Premier League era this season. They went their first three Premier League games without scoring a single goal, losing all three of those fixtures. Last week, they finally ended their Premier League drought, winning their game against Norwich.
The 1-0 win was not extraordinary by any means, but it was surely a lot more encouraging than their first three matches. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the only goal of the match, but it was Nicolas Pepe who made the Gunners tick. He created seven chances over 90 minutes and dispatched the shot that ultimately led to Arsenal's goal.
This week at Burnley, Arsenal will need Pepe to be at his best. Without him firing on all cylinders, it could turn out to be another grim encounter for Arteta’s men.
#4 Ferran Torres - Manchester City
Defending champions Manchester City are on a roll in the Premier League this season. After enduring a shock 1-0 defeat in their opening game of the season, City have scored 10 goals in their next three matches, conceding none. This weekend they will welcome a struggling Southampton side and will fancy themselves to secure maximum points once again.
Ferran Torres, who has become the unlikely focal point of City’s attack, has been in excellent form since the start of the season. His performance against Arsenal on matchday three gave us a glimpse of his offensive acumen. He scored two goals and provided an assist, giving Pep Guardiola the confidence to stick to his false-9 system.
Against Southampton, Torres is likely to get plenty of chances to make himself useful and we do not see him squandering them.
#3 Romelu Lukaku - Chelsea
The Premier League is home to some of the best forwards in the business, and Romelu Lukaku is right up there with the very best. The Blues splashed €115m to get their former player back from Inter Milan, and that triple-digit move is already paying dividends. Lukaku is a quick, powerful, charismatic striker who knows where the goal is. He is the outlet Chelsea's creative midfield desperately needed and we are likely to see him add more to his tally this weekend.
Chelsea are making the short trip to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. Spurs were beaten 3-0 by Crystal Palace in their last Premier League fixture and could only manage a 2-2 draw in the Europa League against Rennes.
Lukaku, who scored a brace against Aston Villa last weekend, seems to be an unstoppable force at the moment. The Belgian, who also found the back of the net in Chelsea's 1-0 win over Zenit in the Champions League in midweek, could be Spurs’ worst nightmare. Don't be surprised to see his name on the scoresheet once again this Sunday.
#2 Mohamed Salah - Liverpool
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah’s goal against Leeds United made him a member of an exclusive Premier League club - the “100 goals” club. The exclusive club consists of players who have broken triple digits since the 1992-93 season. The fact that Salah managed that feat in 162 games makes it all the more exceptional.
Salah scored his first Champions League goal of the season against AC Milan on Wednesday, stretching his scoring streak to two games. The Egyptian has three goals and two assists in the league this season and we expect to see him wheeling away in celebration against Crystal Palace.
Crystal Palace beat Tottenham last weekend, which should give them plenty of confidence. However, we do not believe Liverpool will let them have the same degree of freedom this week.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo - Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo marked his return to the English Premier League with two well-taken goals last Saturday against Newcastle United. He operated primarily down the middle of the pitch and saw plenty of the ball. He was not at his best against Newcastle, but his world-class movement and burst of pace were enough to seal a brace. Charged with his goals, Manchester United cruised to a 4-1 win against the visitors.
The three-time Premier League winner also scored in Manchester United’s Champions League group stage clash with BSC Young Boys. Unfortunately, his goal was not enough as the Red Devils fell to a 2-1 defeat.
The 36-year-old is the most in-form forward Manchester United have at their disposal and is set to start at West Ham United on Sunday. West Ham's defense will certainly have him in their sights, but Ronaldo’s evasive, off-the-ball movements often prove to be impossible to predict.
Also Read: Top 5 predictions for GW 5 of the Premier League
