Premier League Team of the Week - Gameweek 25

James Budgen
Feb 17
4 min read

Alex Palmer

On his Premier League debut for the club, Alex Palmer showed why he could be the answer to the Town's goalkeeping struggles this season, with the 28 year old almost single handily earning his side a point at Villa Park.

Palmer made 6 saves in the game, with 4 coming from shots inside the penalty area, preventing a total of 1.79 xG, which included a spectacular late save to deny Morgan Rodgers.

Djed Spence

If you remember all the positive actions for Man Utd against Spurs, they all came down the left hand side, with Spence locking down the right hand side of Man Utd, whilst also providing an attacking threat as well.

Spence won 7/9 of his duels, blocked 2 shots, made 2 tackles and 1 clearance whilst also completing 3/4 dribbles and 53/58 of his passes.

Calvin Bassey

Bassey makes this team for his winning goal for his Fulham side against Nottingham Forest, with his accurate looping header making it over Matz Sels in goal.

Bassey also made 3 clearances and 1 interception and completed 49/56 of his passes as he shutdown Nottingham Forest's attack for the most part of the game.

Conor Townsend

With regular left back Leif Davis, Conor Townsend was handed his first Premier League start against Aston Villa and it wasn't made easier with his side down to 10 men for over half the game, but Townsend put in a great shift to help earn his side a point.

While Townsend didn't have much effect on the ball, only completing 13 passes, his defensive efforts were essential, winning 6/8 duels, whilst also making 4 tackles, 2 interceptions, 4 clearances and blocking 3 shots.

Ryan Christie

Christie showcased his great qualities against Southampton, providing an almost perfect goal and assist combination at St Mary's.

His cross for Dang Ouattara was near on perfect for the striker to head in and his long range strike just a few minutes later had the power and curve to beat Aaron Ramsdale from outside the box.

Carlos Alcaraz

In his first Premier League start for the Toffees, Alcaraz couldn't have made a much better impression on his debut.

He provided an assist for Beto for Everton's opener and was in the right place at the right time to score the winning goal to give Everton all three points at Goodison Park.

Yankuba Minteh

Marc Cucurella might be having nightmares of this Minteh performance for months, with the Gambian running him ragged all game, especially for his two goals, turning him inside out twice to cut in and score with his left foot both times.

Along with his 2 goals, Minteh also completed 3/4 of his dribbles, 2/2 of his crosses, created 3 chances whilst also making 3 tackles and won a game high 12 duels.

Ethan Nwaneri

With multiple injrues to key players, Arsenal had to rely on 17 year old Nwaneri to produce the goods against Leicester City, and he did not disappoint in his performance, in particular his pin-point cross to Mikel Merino for Arsenal's opening goal.

Along with his impressive assist, Nwaneri also completed 7/8 of his dribbles, completed 30/33 of his passes and won a game high 13 duels, particularly impressive for a 17 year old diminutive attacker.

Omar Marmoush

Ever since his first appearance against Chelsea, Marmoush showcased his brilliant off-ball movement and in his performance against Newcastle, he added his elite striking to that great movement to score a 14 minute hat-trick.

For the first goal, he made a great darting run in behind the Newcastle defence to get onto a long ball from Ederson and excellently chipped Dubravka, for his second he found space to run in between the Newcastle defenders before cutting back and finishing, and to seal his hat-trick, he found space in the middle of four Newcastle defenders to score a cutback from Savinho.

Karou Mitoma

Mitoma is hear because of his goal against Chelsea rather than his all round performance because that goal was not only important to open the scoring for Brighton, but it is one of the best technical goals you'd see.

To control a long ball over the top is hard enough, but to control one going over your head with a defender next to you and the touch be perfect in your path is just exceptional, but to not only do that but then cut inside the defender and score into the bottom corner is ridiculous and its no wonder why everyone has been talking about it.

Mikel Merino

I'm sure nobody predicted when Merino signed for Arsenal, he wouldn't have been put in the team of the week as a striker, but with Arsenal's injuries, Arteta gambled with Merino up top and he did not disappoint his manager.

Merino was thrown on with 20 minutes to go and told to be the target man and get onto the end of crosses and he did just that, heading home Nwaneri's cross for the opener and volleying Leandro Trossard's cross into the back of the net to give his side a much needed 3 points in their title charge.