Premier League team of the weekend: Blues brace highlight stacked side
After a congested midweek slate featuring some great individual performances, theScore puts together a best XI from the latest slate of Premier League fixtures.
The lineup
GK - Artur Boruc (Bournemouth)
Six saves for Bournemouth's Artur Boruc highlighted an unusually calm performance for the former Poland international Wednesday against Liverpool, including a fingertip save on a swirling attempt from Nathaniel Clyne.
DF - Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea)
His fortuitous assist for Eden Hazard's opener set the table, and Cesar Azpilicueta hardly put a foot wrong as the Spaniard starred as a right-sided wingback instead of the centre-half role he's acclimated to this season.
DF - Phil Jagielka (Everton)
Despite appearing a stone overweight and perpetually knackered, Phil Jagielka, teamed with Ashley Williams, repeatedly snuffed out Manchester United's attacks, and his nasty nutmeg on David De Gea for the Toffees' opener was a crafty crack.
DF - Harry Maguire (Hull City)
That's seven home wins in eight paired with a draw under Marco Silva, and if the Portuguese gaffer has raised his value whilst in charge of Hull City, no player has done more for his reputation than Harry Maguire. His diagonal ball on the Hernandez goal was a refined touch for a centre-half, and his 70th-minute goal sucked the wind out of the sails of Middlesbrough's rapidly sinking ship.
RM - Nathan Redmond (Southampton)
Pacey winger Nathan Redmond ripped Crystal Palace apart Wednesday at St. Mary, as the Southampton summer signing bagged a calm goal moments before the interval and created numerous opportunities.
CM - Granit Xhaka (Arsenal)
Will the real Granit Xhaka please stand up? The Swiss international displayed the virtues that prompted his £35-million summer switch as he and fellow former Basel standout Mohamed Elneny dominated the midfield against a meek West Ham. He was the only player to complete 100 or more passes in the midweek fixtures, and perhaps more amazingly, he was not cautioned for only the fourth time in his last 10 matches in all comps.
LM - Marc Albrighton (Leicester City)
Proving that he's not merely a Champions League match-decider, Marc Albrighton assisted on both of Leicester City's goals Tuesday against Sunderland. Not too shabby considering he came on in the 62nd minute alongside Islam Slimani in a move that flipped the match on its head, as the Aston Villa castoff dominated the final half-hour at the King Power.
MF - Dele Alli (Tottenham)
Previous Tottenham sides would have wilted under the pressures of a Premier League run-in down a goal at Swansea City. Instead, Dele Alli grabbed the match by the scruff of its neck. He levelled the match in the 88th minute before assisting on Christian Eriksen's 93rd-minute marker as Spurs slotted home three times in five minutes to maintain a seven-point gap on Chelsea.
MF - Mesut Ozil (Arsenal)
Like Gunners mate Xhaka, Mesut Ozil has been guilty of some outstandingly mercurial performances this year, but against the Irons Wednesday, the World Cup winner was at his best. His opener in the 58th minute sliced through the palpable tension that was brewing at the Emirates, and his assist on Theo Walcott's goal was his third helper in his last three matches in all comps. Metrics only tell part of the story with the oft-maligned Ozil, as a slew of lung-bursting runs quieted his critics amid a stellar performance.
FW - Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
That's six goals and two assists in seven matches in all comps for Jamie Vardy, as Leicester City's meteoric rise under Craig Shakespeare has coincided with the pacey striker's return to form. Vardy now has five league goals under the Bard from Birmingham, a total it took the Sheffield lad 22 matches to do under Claudio Ranieri.
FW - Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Since May 2016, Hazard has scored nine goals against the top seven sides, and the Belgium international was completely unplayable Wednesday against Manchester City as he reaffirmed his claim as the Premier League's best player.