Another round of Premier League has come and gone as the matches come thick and fast at this stage of the season. With just 10 matches left to play it’s Liverpool who top the table, and they maintained that position in dramatic fashion this week. Jurgen Klopp's side dispatched Watford with ease to the tune of a 5-0 home victory and for those who have only seen the scoreline, the players involved in the goals may come as a surprise.
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Sadio Mane turned up as normal, eager to continue his strong run of form, but it was the defenders who stole the show. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson combined for an incredible five assists while Virgil Van Dijk scored a pair of late goals which helped ensure the win, and his status as Goal Fantasy Player of the Week. You can find these players, and the other standout performers of the week, below.
GK: Angus Gunn - Southampton - 1 Game, 4 Saves, 1 Clean Sheet = 9 Points
DF: Virgin Van Dijk - Liverpool - 1 Game, 2 Goals, 1 Clean Sheet = 21 Points
Any suggestion that Liverpool overpaid for Van Dijk looks laughable just about anytime the Dutchman is on the pitch. Not only has he led his side to a league-high 16 clean sheets, but he’s also providing more in attack than he has in any previous Premier League season.
In fact, his six goal involvements this season (3g, 3a) are already more than he’d managed in the previous three seasons combined. His £7.8m price tag is a bit prohibitive but that’s the cost of owning the best, and arguably best defender in the Goal game.
DF: Trent Alexander-Arnold - Liverpool - 1 Game, 3 Assists, 1 Clean Sheet = 16 Points
DF: Fabian Schar - Newcastle - 1 Game, 1 Goal, 1 Clean Sheet = 14 Points
Schar opened the scoring against Burnley on Tuesday, and did so with one of the better goals you’ll see all year. Pair that with Newcastle’s third clean sheet in their last four home matches and he, and the Newcastle defence begin to look increasingly viable, especially at St. James’ Park.
With just two top-six opponents left on the fixture list, Schar’s recent form, and his incredibly low selection rate (.74%) he looks an excellent differential play for the run-in.
DF: Andrew Robertson - Liverpool - 1 Game, 2 Assists, 1 Clean Sheet = 13 Points
DF: Seamus Coleman - Everton - 1 Game, 1 Assist, 1 Clean Sheet = 10 Points
MF: Sadio Mane - Liverpool - 1 Game, 2 Goals = 14 Points
What a night Mane had on Wednesday. The Senegalese scored two goals - one of them an excellent backheeled goal - in Liverpool’s 5-0 drubbing of Watford. Admittedly, Mane has been a bit hit-and-miss this season, but he’s certainly rounded into excellent form of late, recording six goals over his last six matches.
Now with 14 for the season, this is officially his best domestic goal-scoring campaign since arriving in the Premier League. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that he finds the back of the net against Everton at the weekend seeing as he’s failed to record a goal or assist in the last three Merseyside Derbies.
MF: Gylfi Sigurdsson - Everton - 1 Game, 2 Goals = 14 Points
MF: Henrikh Mkhitaryan - Arsenal - 1 Game, 1 Goal, 2 Assists = 14 Points
MF: Mesut Ozil - Arsenal - 1 Game, 1 Goal, 1 Assist = 11 Points
FWD: Romelu Lukaku - Man United - 1 Game, 2 Goals = 12 Points
Lukaku has been back in the first team for Manchester United for a few weeks now, but finally managed to get on the scoresheet. The Belgian’s brace against Crystal Palace not only helped his side secure the win, but also represented his first goals since New Year’s Day.
While interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has gotten the most out of Marcus Rashford, he’ll surely be delighted at the prospect of having both finding their form as United push for a Champions League spot come the end of the season.
