Team of the week-Gameweek 30

Two players each from Swansea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester united make theculturedleftfooter’s team of the week.

Boaz Myhill (WBA)-

Two back up goalkeeper battle for a spot in the team of the week- Myhill started after injury to Foster while Kelvin Davies was subbed on for Fraser Forster who hurt his knee. Myhill gets the nod in for a superb performance despite 10 men West Brom losing 3-0 to City. He saved an early Silva shot followed by superb stop forced by Navas. He later denied Aguero and Silva from close range. 13 saves out of which half a dozen were worth the highlight reels.

Callum Chambers(ARS)-

It was a game of two half as a tired Arsenal did just enough to see off Newcastle in front of the toon army. Chambers was confident in the air, had 9 tackles and did well against Amoebi and a marauding Colback. He was reliable coming forward to support his team mates but has to do better with his final delivery. A vastly improved player who had difficulty with pacey wingers earlier in the season-highlighted by Montero (vs Swansea).

Cheikhou Kouyate(WHU)

A game marred with controversy-Nolan was denied a penalty and Sakho’s late goal came after a foul by Nene. West ham did well to keep a clean sheet which provided the base for their 1-0 victory. Kouyate was the defense marshal, strong in the air and provided an aerial presence in the other box too.

Federico Fernandez (SWA)

Swansea kept a clean sheet against a Villa side who had hit the ground running under new manager Tim Sherwood. Fernandez’s highlight of the day was a pinpoint tackle to deny Christian Benteke’s charge on goal.

Neil Taylor (SWA)

Completing our four man defense is Fernandez’s team mate Neil Taylor. His block on Agbonlahor helped maintain a crucial clean sheet that saw Swansea back to winning ways after back to back defeats. He could have had an assist too had Gomis finished his excellent cut back at the edge of the Villa box.

Juan Mata (MUN)

Two goals in what was perhaps United’s most crucial win this season. The first one was a calm finish on the end of a great run, the second one a delightful volley-one for the aesthetics. United spent a lot to procure the services of the Spaniard and he has re-payed them with a win that helps them put the distance between them and bitter rival pool for a Cl spot.

Fernando (MCI)

The goal was a scrappy one but made the history book for being City’s 1000^th goal in the premiership. He also had a hand in Bony’s goal. This was perhaps first time City impressed without Yaya Toure and Fernando was the reason behind this. He broke West Broms play well and seems to have turned a page on what has been a poor season so far.

Ander Herrera (MUN) Pool could simply not deal with him. He provided the killer pass for Mata’s first goal and was excellent in stopping Pool’s pacey counter. He also had a hand in Gerrard’s sending off- the captains last United-Liverpool game. Herrera is simply United’s best buy this season.

 David Silva (MCI)

Unlucky not to score in the first half as he forced Myhill to a good save. Did get his goal in the end. Perhaps the only thing more wonderful than Silva’s playing style was the joyous expression on his face as he scored city’s third. No player deserved a goal more than Silva in the City squad.

HarryKane (TOT)

A great week for Harry Kane, where he was called up for the England’s senior squad, was capped up by his first premiership hat-trick. He became a regular only in November and has now overtaken Diego Costa and Aguero to top the goal scoring chart. We can only wonder what his goal scoring record would have been had he started from gameweek 1.

Olivier Giroud (ARS)-

The other striker to match Kane’s current form is Olivier Giroud, who scored twice in four minutes to give Arsenal a comfortable cushion in the first half. He has banged 8 goals so far in 2015 and also has 8 goals in 6 appearances against Newcastle.

Manager-Manuel Pellegrini (MCI)

The Chilean’s job is in threat and he has the example of Roberto Mancini before him. Mancini was sacked after being unable to follow up his title winning season with another and there seems to be an aura of deja vu around the City hot seat. Despite recent criticism Pellegrini stuck to his 4-4-2 formation and it was one way traffic after the early (though wrong) dismissal of McAuley. Players who had been poor before look motivated, Bony found a way into the scoring sheet and there were no defensive howlers. Pellegrini gains some breathing space and beats competition from Garry Monk and LVG for manager of the week.

Missed out- Kelvin Davies (SOU), Phil Jagielka (EVE), Shane Long (SOU), Diego Costa(CHE), Glenn Murray (CRY)