We’ve not been able to do one of these posts for MONTHS due to Chelsea’s bad results, but here we are: Chelsea got a player into Garth Crooks’ team of the week for BBC Sport!
It wasn’t Cole Palmer, who shone between the lines, nor was it Armando Broja or Mykahilo Mudryk who scored the goals. It was Conor Gallagher, who was a wonderful workhorse in midfield and played a vital role in the way that the Blues totally shut the game down after going two goals up.
Here are this week’s choices. And as ever, Garth also discusses the game’s big talking points in the Crooks of the Matter.
Goalkeeper
Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa): The save by Martinez from Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson was so important and at a crucial time in Sunday’s match. Robert Sanchez was also showing good form in the Chelsea goal but was eventually, like so many of his Chelsea team-mates, found wanting when Ollie Watkins’ effort went through his legs from a tight angle at the near post. Watkins shouldn’t be scoring from there.
Defender
Kieran Trippier (Newcastle): This was an impressive victory by Newcastle. They were involved in a goalless draw and a titanic tussle in the Champions League against AC Milan in midweek and dealt with the fixture extremely well.
Kyle Walker (Manchester City): City demolished Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League in midweek.
He had no trouble at all doing the same with Nottingham Forest a few days later.
Jonny Evans (Manchester United): I overheard a conversation recently where an Arsenal supporter said how surprised he was to see Evans come on against his team a few weeks ago and I must say so was I.
However, he went on to suggest that Evans was, at the tender age of 35, no longer good enough for Manchester United.
James Tarkowski (Everton): Crisis, what crisis? Not if Everton keep playing like that. The urgency with which Tarkowski raced back to defend an attack in their win at Brentford.
But to nudge the ball expertly away from the oncoming Keane Lewis-Potter,
Who was about to tap the ball into the net, was a turning point in the game.
Midfielder
Anthony Gordon (Newcastle): This is a different player for Newcastle than I saw for Everton. Not only does Gordon look a better player in the colours of the North-East club,
His performance in midweek against AC Milan in the Champions League proved it.
Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United): What a cracking finish by Fernandes. I was keen to see how United might react after their Champions League defeat in midweek against Bayern Munich.
Attacker
Phil Foden (Manchester City): We are six games into the season and Foden has only scored one goal for City. You wouldn’t have thought so the way he struck his shot to put the league champions ahead against Nottingham Forest. City at this stage looked imperious.
