Premier League Team of the Week: Harry Kane and Kevin De Bruyne dominate

Premier League team of the week for matches 19 and 20, featuring Harry Kane and Kevin De Bruyne.

Given the congested nature of the festive fixtures in England’s top flight, this week’s best XI incorporates matches 19 and 20.

It’s good news for Tottenham’s record-breaking striker Harry Kane after his consecutive hat-tricks beat Burnley then Southampton. Away from north London, leaders Manchester City have the title race to themselves thanks to the continued brilliance of Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling.

Find out who joins this prolific trio in the best XI:

Goalkeeper: Jordan Pickford, Everton

Back-to-back clean sheets means Jordan Pickford more than merits his place on the list. The precocious stopper has benefited the most from Sam Allardyce succeeding Ronald Koeman as manager.

Under Koeman, life for Pickford involved picking the ball out of his net. The 23-year-old hasn’t been doing much of that since Allardyce re-organised the back four in front of him.

Pickford was a stalwart in the goalless draw with Chelsea on Saturday, December 23. He was equally stingy in a 0-0 tussle with West Brom on Boxing Day.

Having looked like an expensive flop under Koeman, Pickford is now being touted to keep goal for England at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia next summer, per MailOnline’s Dominic King.

It’s buzz he more than merits.

Defender: Michael Keane, Everton

Pickford isn’t the only member of the Everton rearguard who has been given a new lease of life by Big Sam. Michael Keane has also turned the clock back to his peak days as one of the league’s best center-backs.

The burly Englishman is steadily becoming the rock around which Allardyce has constructed a more miserly back line. Keane has given him the throwback-style head-and-hoof leader who takes a no-nonsense approach to clearing problems before they become threats.

This has been the Keane of his Burley days, the man Everton deemed good enough to pay £30 million for in the summer.

Defender: Cesar Azpilicueta, Chelsea

When it comes to defending, Cesar Azpilicueta knows few equals in Europe. Yet not many defenders offer the creative output the little Spaniard provides Chelsea.

Azpilicueta’s unerring eye for a pass was evident during the Boxing Day win over Brighton, when he picked out Alvaro Morata to open the scoring. WhoScored.com detailed how often these two have combined:

No defender in the division boasts the complete game of Azpilicueta.

Defender: Marcos Alonso, Chelsea

Azpilicueta may be the defender who acts like a No. 10 for Chelsea, but Marcos Alonso is the prolific striker trapped in the body of a left wing-back.

Alonso was a menacing attacking outlet against both Everton and Brighton. The only difference was his buccaneering display against the Seagulls featured a goal.

Finding the net again is a happy habit for Alonso:

The Blues often find themselves linked with Juventus ace Alex Sandro. But Chelsea would be wasting money trying to upgrade Alonso, one of the best left-sided defenders in Europe.

Midfielder: Riyad Mahrez, Leicester

Riyad Mahrez stamped his brilliance all over the last two matchdays. His deft, now you see me, now you don’t turn helped lay on Jamie Vardy to score against Manchester United.

The goal helped the Foxes earn a 2-2 draw to effectively kill the title race.

Mahrez was in the mood again when he scored with a cracking header to put Leicester in front against Watford at Vicarage Road. The Foxes were ultimately beaten, but it wasn’t because Mahrez disappeared.

It’s little wonder the Algerian wing wizard is again reportedly attracting the interest of Arsenal. The Gunners are considering a bid during the January transfer window, per Le Buteur (h/t Metro).

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger should stop considering and just move for a player with the quality to win any game.

Midfielder: Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool

A pair of goals and an assist spread over two games continued Philippe Coutinho’s remarkable season. The player who didn’t get the move away he wanted in the summer has responded superbly to disappointment.

What Coutinho has done is remain the creative fulcrum for the most dynamic front four in football. Liverpool have pace and flair in abundance ahead of their gem of a No. 10, in the form of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.

They are all match-winners, but Coutinho’s vision and intelligent movement make the Reds come alive in attacking areas.

Next: Premier League midseason report card: Liverpool

The Brazilian was at the heart of everything good Liverpool did during the thrilling 3-3 draw against Arsenal on Friday, Dec. 22. He opened the scoring with a clever, looping header over Petr Cech.

Coutinho was even better in the 5-0 demolition of Swansea at Anfield on Boxing Day. The playmaker scored yet another thunderbolt from outside the box, before creating a goal for Firmino in the second half.

Midfielder: Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City

The champions elect (no, it’s not too early) were far from their best during the 1-0 win at Newcastle on Wednesday, Dec. 27. Yet the combination of De Bruyne and Sterling proved enough to stretch the Citizens’ lead to an insurmountable 15 points.

Sterling scored, but the standout contribution was the delicately lifted ball from De Bruyne. What sets the Belgian apart from many other creative midfielders is an insatiable desire to assist goals.

De Bruyne never stops looking for the passes which will split a defence and get runners in behind. It can make the 26-year-old a little boom-or-bust at times. But it also makes him the most dominant creative force in the division.

Midfielder: Raheem Sterling, Manchester City

Quantifying Pep Guardiola’s impact at City is easy. Just tot up how many goals Raheem Sterling is scoring. The previously shot-shy Liverpool winger has already found the net 13 times in the league.

The difference in Sterling’s composure in front of goal is staggering. He is taking on shots sooner and there’s more variety in the way he’s going for goal.

Perhaps the biggest improvement has been in Sterling’s movement. He roams through the middle more often where his pace keeps teams deep and gives City the space to boss the ball between the midfield and forward lines.

Striker: Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal

Many may contend Alexis Sanchez is not giving his all during the final few months of his contract at Arsenal. Yet the Chile international has still scored three times in his last two matches.

Sanchez got the first of the Gunners’ three goals against Liverpool. He also bagged a brace to help beat Crystal Palace 3-2 away on Thursday.

Those goals maintained Sanchez’s knack for scoring on his travels, per Sky Sports Statto:

Sanchez doesn’t seem prepared to sign a new deal, but it makes sense for Arsenal not to cash in on their lone world-class talent while there’s still so much left to play for.

Striker: Roberto Firmino, Liverpool

Firmino scored the equaliser at Arsenal after providing the pass for Mohamed Salah’s goal at the Emirates Stadium. The Brazilian was also on the scoresheet twice against the Swans.

His prolific output across two matches summed up Firmino’s value to Liverpool. He’s a central striker who combines the scoring instincts of a classic No. 9 with the artful passing and intuitive movement of a No. 10.

Firmino dropping off creates the pockets of space for Salah and Mane to run into centrally. His touches and technique put him on the same wavelength with Coutinho.

Striker: Harry Kane, Tottenham

Two hat-tricks in less than a week cemented Kane’s status as the deadliest marksman in the division. Nobody else finishes with Kane’s class and composure.

The England international has refined his movement to pinpoint weaknesses wherever they appear across a defence. Kane knows when to peel wide and work the channels, just as he knows when to spin in behind, go direct and use his deceptive pace.

Those qualities helped Kane break Alan Shearer’s record for Premier League goals in a calendar year, per BBC Sport. Surpassing Shearer’s mark of 36 goals set in 1995 is impressive, but the better barometer of Kane’s standing comes from how he’s outscored today’s biggest names:

Kane is now at the peak of his power, a fact Spurs must make count by finally winning some trophies.