Premier League Team of the Week: Liverpool front 3 feature

Premier League best XI for matchweek 23, including Liverpool’s prolific front three.

Who needs Philippe Coutinho? Liverpool didn’t to help beat Manchester City 4-3 for the leaders’ first defeat of this Premier League season.

Coutinho is in Barcelona, but the Reds still have Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah. All three feature in the latest team of the week after tearing through City with ruthless efficiency at Anfield.

Further back, solid defending from a coveted center-back helped West Brom finally win. A similar stingy streak at the back also saw Leicester make champions Chelsea targets for criticism from their own fans.

Find out who makes this week’s best XI:

Goalkeeper: Kasper Schmeichel, Leicester

Thibaut Courtois was arguably the busier of the two goalkeepers during Chelsea’s bore draw with Leicester. Yet Foxes stopper Kasper Schmeichel made the key saves when it mattered.

Leicester bossed the opening 45 minutes, but would still have trailed had Schmeichel not reacted brilliantly to deny Eden Hazard, The big Dane stood tall again late on when he kept out a Marcos Alonso free-kick that might have pinched it for the Blues.

It was a great day for Schmeichel, not so much for Courtois, who bemoaned Chelsea’s boo boys.

Schemeichel hasn’t been able to hit the heights he reached during Leicester’s fairytale title triumph two seasons ago. However, the Foxes are always a better side when the stubborn 31-year-old is between the posts.

Defender: Jonny Evans, West Bromwich Albion

Not only did he get on the scoresheet, but Jonny Evans dealt with every threat Brighton posed at the Hawthorns on Saturday. The former Manchester United defender dominated in the air at both ends of the pitch, while showing deceptive pace to track runners across the box.

Evans also showed off his underrated quality on the ball. More than once, the 30-year-old helped the Baggies build attacks from the back with smart distribution into midfield.

The Northern Ireland international is wanted by both Arsenal and City during the January transfer window, per Paul Gilmour of Sky Sports. He wouldn’t be the most fashionable signing, but Evans’ experience and reliability would instantly improve either side at the back.

Defender: James Tomkins, Crystal Palace

Whenever you play Burnley, your defenders have to deal with an aerial bombardment. James Tomkins coped with every high delivery the Clarets launched at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Burnley unleashed both Ashley Barnes and Sam Vokes from the start at Selhurst Park. Having two target men to deal with increased the pressure on Tomkins. He was already dealing with having a full-back, Martin Kelly, playing alongside him in the middle.

Tomkins used all of his savvy to hold the Palace defence together. He also stayed physical enough to resist the visitors’ direct approach.

Even when Burnley changed things and introduced the pace of Nahki Wells and winger Georges-Kevin N’Koudou, they still couldn’t get past Tomkins. His performance was the bedrock behind a vital 1-0 win for the Eagles, who look increasingly capable of beating the drop.

Defender: Simon Francis, Bournemouth

Bournemouth caught Arsenal on yet another off day, but it doesn’t take away from the quality of the Cherries’ defending. In particular, Simon Francis impressed after manager Eddie Howe opted to play a back three.

Francis didn’t have Mesut Ozil and wantaway Alexis Sanchez to worry about. But Arsenal still had some attacking threat in the form of Danny Welbeck and Alexandre Lacazette.

Next: 5 replacements for Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez

Niether Gunners striker proved dangerous, though, thanks to Francis’ smart defending. He never let their pace get behind him, while also avoiding being pulled out of position by Lacazette whenever the No. 9 dropped off the front.

Francis also got forward when he could, with his raids offering Bournemouth a man over in attacking areas.

The Cherries will never be formidable defensively, but the back three offers a blueprint to at least be solid for the rest of the season.

Midfielder: Sadio Mane, Liverpool

Mane was at his rampaging best against City, using his pace and direct movement to keep the opposition permanently stretched. Like Salah, Mane often plays on the shoulder of his marker and is always ready to run beyond.

What separates Mane from many other attackers is his willingness to shoot early. It was obvious when he slashed Liverpool’s third past City goalkeeper Ederson.

The wonder strike was similar to the emphatic finish the former Southampton man produced at Burnley recently. Mane hasn’t been hitting the headlines the way Salah has, but he’s every bit as important to the most dynamic forward line in the division.

Midfielder: Manuel Lanzini, West Ham United

Two goals summed up the attacking menace Manuel Lanzini and West Ham unleashed on Huddersfield this weekend. The diminutive Argentinian posed a scoring threat by dovetailing superbly with the power and artistry of frontman Marko Arnautovic.

Lanzini made intelligent and well-timed runs beyond the front whenever he sensed an opportunity. He took his goals well too, turning in a superb shot to wrong-foot Terriers goalkeeper Jonas Lossl.

His second was even better, as the Hammers’ No. 10 arrowed a shot over Lossl. The goal came about thanks to yet another slick combination with Arnautovic on the break.

Lanzini has the creative temperament and composure in front of goal to thrive at a bigger club. In the meantime, he can be the catalyst for West Ham’s survival bid.

Midfielder: Christian Eriksen, Tottenham

It’s all about cultured playmakers in the middle this week, and Christian Eriksen certainly fits the bill. The Tottenham schemer was a joy to watch during the 4-0 win over Everton at Wembley Stadium.

Eriksen ran the show from the middle of the park, buzzing around to recycle possession and create chances. His combination play with Dele Alli and Heung-Min Son had the Toffees chasing shadows and made life easier for two-goal striker Harry Kane.

There was also time for Eriksen himself to get among the goals. The 25-year-old scored Tottenham’s fourth nine minutes from time by capping a splendid team move recreated in this graphic from OptaSuit:

This kind of free-flowing football is only possible with a stylish creator like Eriksen bossing the midfield.

Midfielder: Mohamed Salah, Liverpool

For all the attacking quality they already possessed, Liverpool have gone to another level since Salah arrived in the summer. The Egyptian wide forward is the most dangerous attacker in England’s top flight.

His pace, willingness to roam centrally and instincts for exploiting gaps have made Salah the focal point for the Reds. Those qualities kept City on the back foot at Anfield and inspired the 4-1 lead Liverpool raced into.

It was Salah himself who bagged the home side’s fourth, catching out Ederson with a devilish first-time shot. The goal not only helped Salah keep pace with Kane, it also maintained the prolific streak of an electrifying front three, per Sky Sports Statto:

Liverpool’s run won’t end any time soon as long as Salah is still available to frighten the life out of defenders.

Striker: Callum Wilson, Bournemouth

Francis wasn’t the only hero for a Bournemouth side as dangerous going forward as they were solid at the back. The main threat came from Callum Wilson, the Cherries’ oft-injured but undeniably talented striker who ran Arsenal’s back three ragged.

Wilson never gave Gunners defenders a peaceful moment. He also denied them space in possession, pressing with determination and aggression.

There was also an aggressiveness to the way Wilson beat Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech to Ryan Fraser’s low cross and turned in Bournemouth’s equaliser. He was quicker and more decisive when attacking the ball.

Wilson was also heavily involved in setting up Jordon Ibe to score the winner. He proved he’s strong enough to play with his back to goal and lead the line.

The Cherries need to keep Wilson fit to avoid being dragged into a relegation scrap during the business end of the season.

Striker: Marko Arnautovic

In terms of modern striker play, Arnautovic put on a clinic for the Hammers during the 4-1 win over Huddersfield. The temperamental Austrian was equal parts potent threat and chief creator at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Arnautovic scored to give his side a 2-1 lead after an outrageous flick over the defender positioned him to thunder a shot past Lossl. The ex-Stoke City attacker was far from finished, though.

He still found time to assist Lanzini, having already set up Mark Noble for the opening goal. Squawka Football summed up Arnautovic’s eye-catching contribution as a supplier:

There’s never been any doubt about Arnautovic’s ability, just his willingness to show it consistently. At the moment, manager David Moyes seems to have found the secret to letting his best player loose.

Striker: Roberto Firmino, Liverpool

As he usually does, Roberto Firmino delivered for manager Jurgen Klopp in a big game. Mane and Salah scored and forced City back, but Firmino was the leading light at Anfield.

The Brazilian No. 9, who isn’t really a No. 9, “produced another performance of thrillingly sustained energy and skill, terrorising City’s backline at times in the second half and embodying the pure exhilaration of Klopp’s high-craft power-chord football,” per Barney Ronay of the Guardian.

What sets Firmino apart is his varied and perceptive movement. He knows when to drop, when to spin in behind and when to peel wide.

Add the endeavor of a true worker bee and Klopp has the perfect center-forward for his relentless pressing style. For all his fine efforts off the ball, Firmino hasn’t forgotten about finding the net, something he did to restore Liverpool’s lead against City.

Hitting double figures has become a habit for Firmino in England:

Coutinho will be a loss, but Liverpool will still cope without their No. 10. By contrast, Firmino is the one player Klopp couldn’t replace.