Premier League Team of the Week: Arsenal trio feature

Premier League best XI after matchweek 9, including three Arsenal stars and three from Tottenham.

Arsenal stars highlight the Premier League team of the week after the Gunners dismantled Everton 5-2 at Goodison Park. Those players are joined by three key figures from north London rivals Tottenham after Spurs hammered Liverpool 4-1 at Wembley Stadium.

There’s also room for a quartet players from newly-promoted sides Brighton and Huddersfield. Both enjoyed huge wins in matchweek 9, with the latter stunning title hopefuls Manchester United.

Here is the best XI from the season’s ninth week:

Goalkeeper: Hugo Lloris, Tottenham

It’s not often a team winning 4-1 has so much to thank their goalkeeper for. Yet Spurs owed Hugo Lloris a debt of gratitude after he made some crucial stops to deny a Liverpool side still menacing going forward, despite a litany of problems at the back.

The French stopper produced a save for the annals when he tipped over Philippe Coutinho’s shot in the 67th minute. He also stood tall to rebuff shots from James Milner and Mohamed Salah.

In terms of positioning , reactions and instincts, Lloris got everything right against the Reds. Tottenham are blessed with a plethora of match-winners up front, but this squad still relies on Lloris and his ability to keep the door shut at the back.

Defender: Jan Vertonghen, Tottenham

Sometimes defenders can stand out as much for what they do going forward as how they perform at the back. It was the case for Jan Vertonghen against Liverpool.

The Belgium international center-back was comfortable and composed on the ball. He was also rarely afraid to venture upfield and make his presence felt in the final third.

Vertonghen’s run forward and sharp low shot led directly to Tottenham’s fourth goal. It was the signature moment of a quality all-round performance from the reliable 30-year-old.

Defender: Lewis Dunk, Brighton

Brighton’s 3-0 win at West Ham on Friday was equal parts defensive resilience and attacking flair. Lewis Dunk was the personification of the former quality, steadily underpinning the Seagulls’ back four.

Dunk superbly marshalled Hammers’ threats such as striker Javier Hernandez. Admittedly, West Ham helped his cause by continuing to fail to play to the strengths of Hernandez.

Yet even if the home side had got it right, you suspect Dunk would have been there to deny them with a brave block or a well-timed tackle. The rugged 25-year-old is fast becoming the rock Brighton’s bid for safety can be built on.

Defender: Christopher Schindler, Huddersfield

Huddersfield out-fought United from start to finish, but their shock 2-1 win was still a defensive siege. It was a siege made possible by the resolve and physicality of burly center-back Christopher Schindler.

The towering German stuck to United striker Romelu Lukaku like glue. He flat-out bullied Lukaku in the box, never letting the prolific No. 9 get shooting space for long. Nor did Schindler allow Lukaku to win anything in the air.

It’s no accident Huddersfield are sitting pretty in 11th. Thanks to Schindler, they’re stout enough at the back not to be pushed around by the division’s big boys.

Midfielder: Mesut Ozil, Arsenal

Mesut Ozil’s picture should be included in the dictionary definition of mercurial. Maddeningly languid and inconsistent, the stylish Arsenal playmaker can also be a magician when in the mood.

Fortunately for the Gunners, Ozil was in the mood against Everton. He didn’t shrug his way through this game; instead he sauntered across the Goodison Park pitch.

Everything Ozil did was easy on the eye, but tough on an Everton midfield chasing shadows while trying to get near the artful No. 11. Ozil exploited spaces on the flanks, free pockets in the middle and was never afraid to run beyond the striker.

Such a run saw Ozil open his goalscoring account this season with a terrific header. He still had time to tee up centre-forward Alexandre Lacazette for his first away goal in an Arsenal shirt.

Aside from the goal and assist, Ozil was at the heart of every one of the Gunners’ many flowing moves. His heavy involvement helped the Germany international set a league-best mark for creativity this season, per Squawka Football:

This performance showed why Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger persists with such a temperamental player. Wenger will hope Ozil’s star turn on Merseyside isn’t a lonely highlight from his season.

Midfielder: Pascal Gross, Brighton

Pacal Gross hasn’t gone missing since joining Brighton from the Bundesliga in the summer. The classy midfielder has been the consistent creative fulcrum of manager Chris Hughton’s team.

Gross continued his knack for creating goals by supplying the assist for Brighton’s first goal on Friday. The assist was a deftly lofted and dangerously curled free-kick West Ham defenders couldn’t get near.

Setting up goals has become a habit for the man who cost just £3 million from Ingolstadt, per the league’s official Twitter account:

Gross is proving one of the bargain buys of the summer transfer window.

Midfielder: Aaron Ramsey, Arsenal

A goal and an assist highlighted Aaron Ramsey’s all-action display at Everton. The Welshman never stopped making runs forward and linking together Arsenal’s flowing passing moves.

Ramsey’s movement often made him the spare man an overwhelmed Toffees defence couldn’t track. He popped up on either flank and through the middle.

Ramsey had ghosted into the centre-forward position when substitute Jack Wilshere’s pass found him in the 90th minute. A smart finish followed to give Ramsey the goal he deserved.

There was still time for the cerebral runner to drift into the middle again, this time after darting off the right flank, and play a slick flick to set Alexis Sanchez away to score Arsenal’s fifth.

Ramsey is quietly putting together a solid season, having netted two goals and supplied as many assists, per WhoScored.com. He is becoming indispensable as the shuttling link between the Gunners’ midfield and forward line.

Midfielder: Pedro, Chelsea

Pedro needed just 10 minutes to get his matchweek started the right way for Chelsea against Watford. The Spanish forward curled in a stunning, long-range shot to open the scoring as the Blues beat the Hornets 4-2 at Stamford Bridge.

Not content just to score, Pedro also dragged Chelsea back level from 2-1 down. His pinpoint cross let super sub Michy Batshuayi get the first of his two goals.

Last season’s champions have been searching for consistency from many of their stars. But Chelsea have at least been able to rely on Pedro to deliver in the league.

Next: 4 things we learned: United pay for mistakes, Koeman is out

Striker: Glenn Murray, Brighton

Newly promoted teams don’t often have strikers with a knack for finding the net at the top level. So Brighton should be thankful they have Glenn Murray, after the 34-year-old helped himself to two goals against West Ham.

Murray opened his account with a well-placed header after meeting Gross’ free-kick. He was just as ruthless and efficient from the penalty spot late on to wrap up the points.

He may have already seen the best days of his career, but Murray’s experience and quality as a finisher will prove invaluable for the Seagulls this season.

Striker: Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal

As good as Ozil and Ramsey were against Everton, Sanchez was better. Like his two teammates, Sanchez also helped himself to a goal and an assist, but his overall play was even more dynamic.

The Chilean put a terrific cross onto Ozil’s head. He also slalomed his way around the Everton defence to arrow a low shot across Toffees ‘keeper Jordan Pickford.

More than his goal and assist, Sanchez was the flourish for all of the Gunners’ best moves. His vision and precision on the ball were exceptional, most notably for the ball he swept into Ozil’s path to help create Arsenal’s third goal.

This was Sanchez back to the form of last season. On this form, the South American forward is arguably the best player in England’s top flight.

Striker: Harry Kane, Tottenham

Another week, another brace for Harry Kane. There’s just no stopping Tottenham’s talismanic No. 10 at the moment.

Kane isn’t just scoring here and there. He’s made netting multiple goals each week a welcome habit during this calendar year, per Sky Sports Statto:

There isn’t a discernible weakness in the game of a striker who always puts himself in the ideal position to score. No finisher in the league strikes as cleanly and decisively as the England international.

At the rate he’s going, Kane is going to set new standards in the Premier League. He might even be able to fire Spurs to the title.