Premier League Team of the Week: Gameweek 3
After Old Trafford witnessed a resounding win for Spurs, the third week of the Premier League came to its conclusion.
Champions Manchester City dropped their first points of the season against a gutsy Wolves side which enabled Liverpool to seize top spot following their win over Brighton. The three London clubs Chelsea, Arsenal, and Tottenham recorded victories after hiccups in their games.
Another London club who won was Fulham, who trounced a weakened Burnley side 4-2 for their first win of the season. Watford continued their rise as they won their third straight game to sit level at the top with Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham.
West Ham is the only side without a point as Huddersfield picked their first one after a goalless draw against Cardiff. The week saw a surprising four red cards, two of which came in a pulsating 2-2 draw between Bournemouth and Everton.
That's all for the team roundup, now let us look at some individual performances. Here is the team of the week for the Premier League.
Goalkeeper
Hugo Lloris (Tottenham Hotspur)
Lloris produces some stunning stops on the way to a much deserved clean sheet at Old Trafford. The Tottenham skipper was the pick of the bunch in a week where only four teams managed to prevent the opposition from scoring.
The Frenchman made five stops, which included a stunning save from Romelu Lukaku's curling shot. He commanded his penalty area well also, making two important punches in the game.
A calm and composed performance from Lloris puts him in the list, which includes a couple of his teammates as well.
Defenders
Left back: Luke Shaw (Manchester United)
A defender who has conceded three goals should not be in the team of the week, right? But Luke Shaw truly was the only light in a dull United performance.
Shaw was a constant threat on the left side, especially in the first half. He completed three dribbles, two interceptions, two clearances, two blocks and won four aerial duels. On a day where the rest of the Red Devils faltered, Shaw boosted his credentials.
How ironic is it that Shaw of all people was the silver lining in Mourinho's dark cloud.
Centre back: Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham Hotspur)
The Tottenham defense impressed at Old Trafford, and Vertonghen was one of the big reasons why.
Often pitted against compatriot Romelu Lukaku, he kept the burly striker quiet effectively. Lukaku often made runs into the left channel as he often does and Vertonghen was there each time to prevent the danger.
The Belgian made three tackles and eight clearances, and his passing range from the back was immaculate. A solid performance from an individual who is the model of consistency.
Centre back: Joe Gomez (Liverpool)
Liverpool kept their third consecutive clean sheet in their 1-0 win against Brighton and it is a huge testament to their improved defense. The imperious Virgil van Dijk will take credit and rightly so, but his partner arguably had a better game on Saturday.
Gomez has shown his versatility by playing center-back for Jurgen Klopp as Trent Alexander-Arnold has nailed the right-back slot. He has settled in the new role seamlessly. Against Brighton, he won a mammoth eight aerial duels, made five clearances and one interception.
These contributions were necessary as Brighton threatened to equalise late on. But Gomez and company held on to propel Liverpool to the top of the league
Right back: Kieran Trippier (Tottenham Hotspur)
Another Spurs player in the backline, Trippier was instrumental in their impressive win, and more so in attack than in defense.
He played a gem of a pass to Dele Alli and the midfielder failed to convert a glorious chance. His corners were deadly as ever, and Harry Kane converted one to put Spurs in the lead. Then he played a through ball for Christian Eriksen, who then set up the second goal.
He was taken off later on for Serge Aurier, but his 75 minutes on the pitch were crucial to Spurs and set them on their way to three points.