Skip to content

PL Team of the Week

Image: Christian Benteke: In superb form as Aston Villa came from behind to beat Reading

Sky Sports picks out the best performers from the Premier League after the latest round of fixtures.

Team of the Week

Artur Boruc - Southampton
Every point is vital in the battle for Premier League survival and by the end of the season it could just be that Southampton look back at Boruc's penalty save against Norwich City as a decisive moment. Saturday's clash at Carrow Road had entered stoppage time when the Canaries were granted an opportunity to break the deadlock from the spot, but Boruc pulled off a tremendous save to deny Grant Holt and ensure the match ended goalless. The Polish keeper had been assured throughout the afternoon to keep a clean sheet and just edges out opposite number Mark Bunn to line up between the posts in our Team of the Week.
Mathieu Debuchy - Newcastle United
Newcastle United spent a lot of time and energy pursuing Debuchy before finally completing a deal to sign the French right-back from Lille in January, and he is showing more and more glimpses of his quality as he adjusts to the English game. Alan Pardew's Magpies had to come from behind to beat Stoke City in the dying seconds on Sunday but it was an impressive performance from the whole team and Debuchy caught the eye with his willingness to get forward down the wing, while he was also solid at the back.
Maya Yoshida - Southampton
If Boruc grabbed the headlines for Southampton with his brilliant late save from the penalty spot, then Yoshida was the unsung hero following two crucial interceptions. First, the Japan international blocked a Robert Snodgrass cross that would have found its way to Holt six yards out, and then he got back to rob Snodgrass and prevent a near-certain goal after the Norwich man rounded the goalkeeper.
Sebastien Bassong - Norwich City
Norwich may have been left to rue their missed chances but a draw was probably a fair result as Southampton had good moments of their own at Carrow Road. Saints were unable to strike, however, thanks to some dogged defending from the home side. Bassong, alongside the impressive Michael Turner, was a commanding figure at the back as he kept Rickie Lambert quiet to help Norwich inch closer to safety.
Jan Vertonghen - Tottenham Hotspur
There are several members of the Tottenham team who contributed to their own downfall as a 12-match unbeaten run in the league came to an end at Liverpool, but Vertonghen can hold his head up high after a masterful display. As well as making a couple of crucial tackles, the Belgian defender showed that he is an attacking threat with two well-taken goals. Having headed in a Gareth Bale cross to make it 1-1, he briefly put Spurs in front when he neatly adjusted his feet to fire a shot past Brad Jones and into the bottom corner.
Andros Townsend - QPR
QPR may still be bottom of the table but they are gaining some momentum at just the right time after discovering a much-needed cutting edge in the last couple of weeks. The on-loan Tottenham winger had a hand in QPR's opener against Sunderland as his shot deflected off John O'Shea and into the path of Loic Remy, and he then scored himself with a spectacular goal from 25 yards which flew past a helpless Simon Mignolet.
Steven Gerrard - Liverpool
Liverpool skipper Gerrard was his usual dynamic self at Anfield as Brendan Rodgers' side underlined their improvement with a comeback victory over Tottenham. He battled hard in midfield to help steady the Reds when Spurs were getting on top and posed regular problems for the visitors with his clever passing and movement, while he held his nerve to convert from the penalty spot late on and secure a thrilling 3-2 success.
Yohan Cabaye - Newcastle United
Moussa Sissoko was a strong contender for a midfield berth but Cabaye just gets the nod over his team-mate thanks to his equalising goal in Newcastle's 2-1 win at home to Stoke. Having been at the centre of all the Magpies' best attacking moments in the first half, Cabaye netted a stunning equaliser to cancel out Jon Walters' penalty moments earlier. There are few better technicians than the Frenchman in the Premier League and he enhanced his reputation as a free-kick specialist by somehow getting his shot, from right on the edge of the area, over the wall and back down to crash in off the underside of the crossbar.
Romelu Lukaku - West Bromwich Albion
Lukaku's loan move to West Brom has turned into one of the deals of the season and he proved too strong for another defensive unit on Saturday as he inspired the Baggies to a 2-1 triumph at home to Capital One Cup champions Swansea City. Luke Moore had broken the deadlock against his former club but Lukaku levelled with his 13th goal of the campaign after meeting Graham Dorrans' low cross. He blotted his copybook slightly by having a penalty saved early in the second half, but he remained hard to handle and Jonathan de Guzman's own goal clinched victory for West Brom.
Christian Benteke - Aston Villa
The third Belgian in our Team of the Week is Villa frontman Benteke, who was close to his unplayable best in Saturday's 2-1 victory away to Reading. Nathan Baker's calamitous own goal left Paul Lambert's side in trouble in their relegation six-pointer but Benteke, who had earlier rattled the crossbar with a header, lashed in an equaliser with the aid of a deflection after astutely sitting back to receive Andreas Weimann's pass. He tormented the Royals defence all afternoon with his power and aerial ability and remains Villa's ace in the pack ahead of the run-in.
Luis Suarez - Liverpool
Billed as a showdown between the two main contenders for the Player of the Year, Suarez emerged as the man of the match as Liverpool defeated Gareth Bale's Tottenham 3-2. The Uruguayan was a constant threat and opened the scoring at Anfield with a deft finish from Jose Enrique's pass and then won the penalty which Gerrard tucked away after being bundled over by Benoit Assou-Ekotto.

Around Sky