Premier League Team of the Week: Zaha, De Bruyne feature

Premier League best XI for matchweek 8, featuring Wilfried Zaha and Kevin De Bruyne.

Wilfried Zaha demands a place in the Premier League team of the week after inspiring Crystal Palace to stun reigning champions Chelsea. Zaha thrived, as did Kevin De Bruyne, who continues to be the creative maestro powering Manchester City’s title charge.

City are now two points clear at the top after local rivals Manchester United played out a bore draw at Liverpool. United didn’t win many admirers during the 0-0 stalemate at Anfield, but their defenders impressed.

Positive impressions were also made by players from Southampton and Swansea.

Here’s the best XI from the eighth matchweek of the season:

Goalkeeper: David De Gea, Manchester United

It says everything about the dour nature of the game that a save in the first half was the standout moment. But there’s no other way to adequately describe David De Gea’s brilliant stop to deny Joel Matip.

Reacting with sensationally quick reflexes, De Gea dove low to turn away Matip’s goal-bound effort with his feet. It was a save summing up everything about De Gea’s talent.

He is alert, commanding and quick in the box. De Gea is brining those qualities to bear at crucial moments in matches this season, per OptaJoe:

As the ultimate clutch ‘keeper, De Gea is establishing an aura similar to United legend Peter Schmeichel. When it’s a one-on-one situation, you back De Gea.

Defender: Davinson Sanchez, Tottenham

Spurs spent a pretty penny to pry Davinson Sanchez from Ajax this summer. But the club-record £42 million cost is starting to look worth it.

Sanchez, still just 21, has slotted seamlessly into what was already an outstanding defence. The Colombia international is quick on the deck and comfortable and creative on the ball.

Those latter attributes allow Spurs to build attacks more fluidly from the back. Sanchez is becoming a deep-lying playmaker in the Tottenham back three, as well as a reliable defender.

Defender: Matteo Darmian. Manchester United

Matteo Darmian’s day was never going to be easy at Anfield. He had been drafted in to play left-back, not his natural position. Darmian was also tasked with marking Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah, the home side’s biggest threat.

Understandably, there were some rocky moments early on for Darmian. The Italian was hurried and erratic in possession and also gave Salah too much space.

Yet the former Torino man rallied well and by the end was one of United’s better defenders. He managed to keep Salah quiet, as well as putting in his share of last-ditch blocks.

United’s tactical approach was all about negating Liverpool’s pace and fluidity in the final third. The dour approach succeeded thanks to performances as resolute as Darmian’s.

Defender: Joe Gomez, Liverpool

It’s not very often a Liverpool defender earns praise. But 20-year-old right-back Joe Gomez merits some plaudits for his contribution to holding United scoreless.

Gomez was strong, alert and disciplined in wide areas. He expertly subdued both Anthony Martial and substitute Marcus Rashford on the flank.

Sure, Gomez was helped by United having their wide forwards play more like second full-backs. But the young defender never over-committed, nor left himself exposed to pace going the other way.

Such sound positional play meant United’s threat on the counter, a threat they were designed to exploit, was minimal at best.

Next: Liverpool 0-0 Manchester United: Highlights and recap

Midfielder: Wilfried Zaha, Crystal Palace

No player did more to inspire the upset of Chelsea than Zaha. The mercurial winger routinely tied visiting defenders in knots with his pace and trickery.

It was inevitable Zaha would get the winner, as he did in the 45th minute. The goal embodied all that makes Zaha such an exciting talent on his day.

His control was immaculate, as was the intelligence to bypass Cesar Azpilicueta with a deft, first-time touch. Then Zaha displayed the composure to calmly slot the ball underneath Thibaut Courtois, one of the best goalkeepers in the division, without any fuss.

Performances like this prove Zaha is a genuine match-winner. His inspiration will be essential to Palace’s bid for survival.

Midfielder: Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City

Zaha doesn’t always deliver, but consistency is the hallmark of De Bruyne’s game. The Belgium international assisted two of City’s seven goals against Stoke.

Those assists maintained De Bruyne’s run as the most prolific provider in England’s top flight the last two years, per BBC Match of the Day:

Aside from the assists, De Bruyne was also at the heart of all of City’s best passing moves. His astute touches, clever movement and unerring vision had the Potters chasing shadows all day.

De Bruyne is becoming the creative force who makes City tick. Even in a squad loaded with talented players, the Belgian is the man teams must contain.

Midfielder: Christian Eriksen, Tottenham

If De Bruyne is the talisman for City, there’s no doubt Christian Eriksen is Tottenham’s chief conductor. The Dane again proved the difference as he netted the only goal to beat plucky Bournemouth at Wembley Stadium.

Finding the net is fast becoming a welcome habit for Eriksen, per OptaJoe:

Spurs may boast Dele Alli, Mousa Dembele and Harry Winks in the middle. But Eriksen is out-performing them all as the one midfielder manager Mauricio Pochettino can’t afford to be without.

Midfielder: Raheem Sterling, Manchester City

City are the class of the division because of their enviable strength in depth in attacking areas. It’s depth made possible by the excellent performances of squad players such as Raheem Sterling.

The winger has forced his way into the starting XI thanks to consistent production in the final third. He scored City’s second against Stoke, as well as creating goals for David Silva and Bernardo Silva.

Improving his final ball, along with becoming more ruthless in front of goal, are making Sterling a greater threat. His pace scares any defence, while he’s always made intelligent runs off the ball.

Sterling is becoming a better player for a side with a seemingly endless array of attacking talent.

Striker: Tammy Abraham, Swansea

Swansea were brave when they signed Chelsea loanee Tammy Abraham this summer. The Swans were giving the key role in their forward line to a Chelsea academy product who had been on loan at Championship side Bristol City last season.

Still young and raw, 20-year-old Abraham is making the gamble pay off handsomely. He scored twice to beat Huddersfield on Saturday, taking his tally to five goals in the process, per WhoScored.com.

A combination of pace and power is making Abraham a handful for defenders. He is a tireless target man who takes his lumps playing with his back to goal and is always willing to spin in behind.

Abraham is proving one of the true hidden gems in this young season.

Striker Manolo Gabbiadini, Southampton

It seemed centuries had passed since Southampton last scored a league goal at home. So Manolo Gabbiadini took it upon himself to end the drought against the Magpies.

Gabbiadini bagged a brace, with the first coming after a determined run in a crowded box. The low snap shot was quick and precise enough to find the bottom corner.

Sky Sports Statto summed up how long it had been since the Saints last found the net at home:

Gabbiadini’s first goal levelled the score at 1-1, but Southampton were behind again soon after, as Ayoze Perez scored Newcastle’s second. Still, Gabbiadini was bold and confident enough to seize the responsibility when the Saints were awarded a penalty. It was a spot-kick the Italian dispatched with authority.

Gabbiadini has been inconsistent since joining Southampton in January. But he’s capable of getting goals in bunches, something the Saints need.

Striker: Gabriel Jesus, Manchester City

No Sergio Aguero, no problem for the league leaders. Losing star striker Aguero to injury hasn’t been a problem because Gabriel Jesus has quickly taken England’s top flight by storm.

He only joined up with City in January, but the Brazilian has had no trouble finding the net. Scoring is something Jesus does at an impressive rate, according to Squawka Football:

https://twitter.com/Squawka/status/919224634452643845

The stat was brought up after Jesus scored twice during the demolition of Stoke. His keen instincts in the box and deceptive pace are the ideal attributes for a team so adept at creating chances.

Jesus is the natural flourish able to top off City’s free-flowing attacking moves. The dynamic is working wonderfully for the league’s most convincing title hopefuls.