Premier League Team of the Week: Salah, Firmino feature

Premier League best XI for matchweek 28, including Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.

Liverpool’s awesome front three again ran riot as the Reds temporarily moved up to second in the Premier League on Saturday. Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino all got on the scoresheet, with the latter pair particularly impressive.

Firmino and Salah weren’t the only forwards who caught the eye, though. Glenn Murray continued his solid scoring run for Brighton, while Dwight Gayle was at the double for Newcastle.

Sunday saw Manchester United move back into second place after seeing off Chelsea 2-1 at Old Trafford. Terrific defending from Chris Smalling helped thwart a Chelsea side led in attacking areas by the impressive Willian.

Find out who else made the team of the week:

Goalkeeper: Wayne Hennessey, Crystal Palace

He ultimately couldn’t stop Harry Kane scoring (who can?), but Wayne Hennessey still shone for Crystal Palace on Sunday. The Welsh stopper made a series of saves to frustrate Tottenham for 88 minutes at Selhurst Park.

Among his saves, the best might have been the point-blank stop to deny left-back Ben Davies in the 71st minute. Hennessy also denied Davies’ fellow full-back Serge Aurier, while leaving Kane stunned in disbelief by saving the striker’s shot in the ninth minute.

When he was finally beaten, it took a looping header from a towering Kane to leave Hennessey wrong-footed. It was a cruel way for the match to end for the Palace goalie, who deserved to at least come away with a point.

Defender: Chris Smalling, Manchester United

United scored twice to come from behind and beat Chelsea. But it was a win built more on defensive excellence than expansive attacking.

Smalling was the main man at the back for United. He shackled Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata all day, even though the No. 9 had a goal wrongly chalked off for offside late on.

It was one of the few times Morata had escaped Smalling’s shadow long enough to pose a threat. The United centre-back took to his defensive chores with focused aggression.

He stuck close to Morata, never letting the Spaniard spin in behind the way he so often did earlier in the season. Smalling was also precise with his tackling, regularly producing the vital touch to stop Morata linking with his supporting forwards.

He’s not always the most polished defender, but Smalling has rarely looked as assured as he did on Sunday.

Defender: Wesley Hoedt, Southampton

Southampton had to stay strong to earn a point in a 1-1 draw at Burnley. Thankfully, Wesley Hoedt wasn’t in the mood to be bullied at the heart of the Saints’ defense.

The 23-year-old stood up well to Burnley’s familiar aerial bombardment. Although the Clarets did go ahead courtesy of Ashley Barnes, they rarely won the duels in the air vital to their direct style of play.

Hoedt led the charge for Southampton, aggressively challenging all high deliveries launched his way. He was also smart and solid on the deck, keeping an eye on runners from midfield and rarely getting drawn out of position.

While they are still goal shy, the Saints will need more resolute displays at the back like this one if they are going to stay up.

Defender: Daryl Janmaat, Watford

Watford’s much-needed win over Everton on Saturday evening was built on a stingy defense. Right-back Daryl Janmaat was the key figure in the Hornets’ stubborn rearguard action.

The Dutchman tracked pace well in wide areas, but also stayed alert enough to fill the pockets of space Wayne Rooney and Gyfli Sigurdsson tried to exploit. Neither could play the one- and two-touch game they love in and around the box thanks to Janmaat’s positional discipline.

In an attacking sense, Janmaat was his team’s most consistent outlet. He raided forward at every opportunity and tried to inject some urgency and quality into a game woefully lacking both for large portions of time.

Midfielder: Mohamed Salah, Liverpool

Salah broke the 30-goal barrier in what has been a thrilling debut season on Merseyside for the Egypt international. His 23rd goal in the league doubled the Reds’ advantage against West Ham at Anfield.

Salah had already teed up Emre Can to open the scoring. Not many forwards can match Salah’s scoring and creative output in the final third.

To underline his value as the driving force of this exciting Liverpool side, take a look at the spread of goals since the 25-year-old arrived from Roma in the summer, per WhoScored.com:

Salah is the one player capable of dragging Liverpool to next season’s title.

Midfielder: Emre Can, Liverpool

The Reds have Salah, but they need to resolve Emre Can’s contract situation. Few players embody manager Jurgen Klopp’s frenetic style of play as well as the 24-year-old midfielder.

Can is exactly what Klopp wants in the middle. He’s energetic, relentless and aggressive. Those qualities make Liverpool’s high press possible, with Can the most active seek-and-destroy weapon when the opposition has the ball.

The Germany international offered a comprehensive example of his all-action game by starring in the demolition of the Hammers. Squawka Football detailed how active Can was in every phase:

Adding a credible attacking output to his tireless running is making Can indispensable to the Liverpool midfield.

Midfielder: Xherdan Shaqiri, Stoke

The Potters have worked on fixing their issues at the back. But the Staffordshire club still needs goals to stay up.

Fortunately, Xherdan Shaqiri is still around to provide them.

The diminutive Swiss winger was terrific in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Leicester. Shaqiri accounted for his team’s goal, opening the scoring two minutes before the break in typically spectacular fashion.

After receiving a pass from Joe Allen, Shaqiri glided inside and curled a terrific shot into the top corner from the edge of the box. The quality of the finish was high enough to leave a goalkeeper of Kasper Schmeichel’s talent with no chance.

Shaqiri has made the spectacular routine during his time with Stoke. In the process, he’s enjoying his most prolific campaign in England’s top flight, per BBC Match of the Day:

Having a player as classy as Shaqiri has to give the Potters the belief they can beat the drop.

Midfielder: Willian, Chelsea

Willian entered Chelsea’s game at Old Trafford in a true purple patch. The confidence accrued from a fine run of form showed itself in the way the Brazilian toyed with United on their own ground.

Gliding runs at pace, clever passes, commendable defensive work and an emphatic scoring touch defined Willian’s star turn. The forward opened the scoring to cap a sweeping and stylish break in the 32nd minute.

It was Willian who raced clear before finding Eden Hazard in space. The astute No. 10 angled a brilliant return pass between three players to send Willian clear in the United box.

It was an opportunity the South American attacker seized decisively. He slammed a shot past David de Gea, beating the goalkeeper at his near post, no mean feat.

The strike was good enough to make this Willian’s best season, according to OptaJoe:

Chelsea faltered after the break, but Willian was one of the few for the visitors who still posed a threat.

Next: Ranking every Premier League season

Striker: Glenn Murray, Brighton

Brighton deserve their spot in 12th place after another confident display at the Amex Stadium. The Seagulls were fluid going forward, as they tore through Swansea to net four goals.

It helped Brighton had a lethal focal point up top in the form of Glenn Murray. The 34-year-old bagged a brace, including scoring from the penalty spot in the 18th minute.

Murray was just as threatening from open play. He proved it in the 69th minute when deft movement got him free in the box to tap home Brighton’s second.

As Sky Sports Statto pointed out, Murray is in red-hot form, particularly among English attackers:

Murray’s goals are proving enough to keep a resourceful Brighton side clear of the relegation scrap.

Striker: Roberto Firmino, Liverpool

If you want one example of what Firmino is all about, watch his goal against West Ham. The Brazilian was deft, slick and artful when he took a touch past ‘keeper Adrian, before scoring with a no-look finish.

It may have seemed like arrogance, but it was just typical of the flair Firmino has brought to Liverpool. While Salah and Mane get the plaudits, Firmino is the free-thinking link who knits the Reds’ dynamic moves together.

Liverpool’s No. 9 is so good, you don’t even see the stitching.

Striker: Dwight Gayle, Newcastle

It hasn’t been goals galore for Gayle since the Magpies returned to the Premier League. However, the 27-year-old found his range against Bournemouth on Saturday, netting twice to put Newcastle 2-0 ahead.

The visitors lost the lead to the Cherries, eventually settling for a point. Yet the late collapse couldn’t detract from Gayle’s lively display.

His pace always left the Bournemouth defense stretched. But his range of movement stood out more.

Gayle’s runs were perceptive and varied. He worked the left flank to drag centre-backs out of position and also sped through the middle whenever the situation required.

His double still only puts Gayle on a mere five goals for the season, though. It’s the easiest way to explain why Newcastle can’t shake the threat of relegation.