Premier League Team of the Week: Salah, Mahrez and Lacazette involved

Premier League best XI for Week 6, including Mohamed Salah, Riyad Mahrez, and Alexandre Lacazette.

Manchester City clicked back into high gear in the Premier League title race in Week 6. The champions put five past struggling Cardiff on Saturday thanks in no-small part to inspired performances from Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan.

City taking all three points kept the pressure on leaders Liverpool. The Reds had already beaten Southampton 3-0 at Anfield, a game heralding the return to form of star attacker Mohamed Salah.

Seeing Liverpool and City win only added to the misery felt by Manchester United supporters. The air went out of the Red Devils’ recent mini revival after they were held to a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford by Wolves.

Joao Moutinho was in inspired mood for the visitors, who continue to impress with their enterprising play.

United stumbled on the same day Tottenham got back on track after a recent dip. Spurs won 2-1 away to Brighton, with right-back Kieran Trippier helping lead the way.

Sunday was Arsenal’s turn to win as the Gunners scraped past Everton thanks to a wonder strike from Alexandre Lacazette.

Find out who else makes the latest team of the week:

Goalkeeper: Lukasz Fabianski, West Ham

Chelsea’s perfect start under Maurizio Sarri ground to a halt thanks to a resilient performance from West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski. He made sure the Blues were held to a 0-0 draw on Sunday.

The former Arsenal and Swansea stopper thwarted several promising Chelsea moves. He made decisive and brave saves to deny Olivier Giroud and Eden Hazard.

Fabianski’s saved his best stop for the second half when he defied physics to turn away a fierce low shot from Ross Barkley. The fact Chelsea’s usual short-passing game had deteriorated into taking shots from distance was a credit to West Ham’s defensive resolve.

Fabianski, always underrated during his days with the Gunners, set the the tone for a group that refused to yield.

Defender: Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Crystal Palace

Palace are goal-shy but can at least count on an improving defense featuring intriguing young talent Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The 20-year-old was the Eagles’ standout player during Saturday’s goalless draw with Newcastle.

Wan-Bissaka was credited with “three interceptions and five tackles,” according to Ron Walker of Sky Sports. The numbers are a sign of his growing awareness and assurance at the back.

Those defensive actions are also the result of Wan-Bissaka’s impressive athleticism. Recovery pace and core strength define this bullish and precocious budding star.

Wan-Bissaka appeared in the previous team of the week, and is sure to be a fixture in similar articles if he continues developing at this rate.

Defender: Federico Fernandez, Newcastle

Points have been at a premium for the Magpies, making a draw at Selhurst Park a commendable result. Center-back Federico Fernandez emerged with the most credit for manager Rafa Benitez’s team.

The former Swansea man is quietly becoming a talisman alongside skipper Jamaal Lascelles. Fernandez dealt comfortably with the pace and movement offered by a fluid Palace forward line.

Target man Christian Benteke didn’t feature, so the Eagles relied on the speed and guile of Wilfried Zaha, Andros Townsend and Jordan Ayew. It took all of Fernandez’s experience to subdue this lively trio.

Fortunately for Newcastle, the 29-year-old was rarely out of position. He tracked runners brilliantly and anticipated danger well. The latter quality meant Fernandez was often in position to make a key interception and stymie combinations of one- and two-touch passing between Zaha and Co.

Losing Florian Lejeune to injury shortly before the season started was a hammer blow for Benitez. Fernandez is making sure Newcastle’s defense won’t suffer too much without the influential Frenchman.

Defender: Kieran Trippier, Tottenham

Trippier was a raiding menace from the off against the Seagulls. The England international exploited space on the flank to get Spurs moving forward.

His runs put the visitors on the front foot and regularly gave Tottenham a man over in attack. There was more than just energy and intent to Trippier’s game, though.

The 28-year-old helped create the first goal when his devilish free-kick was handled by Brighton striker Glenn Murray. Harry Kane dispatched the spot-kick to put Spurs in control in hostile territory.

Trippier continued to forage forward and kept Brighton overworked on the wing. His determined effort not to lose proved the perfect tonic for a side short on confidence after recent setbacks.

Midfielder: Riyad Mahrez, Manchester City

Mahrez hasn’t been given many opportunities to showcase the wizardry that won a title for Leicester in 2016 since moving to Manchester this summer.

He was on the subs bench for the trip to Cardiff but needed just 29 minutes to produce a masterclass in flair and trickery.

His first goal showed the more flexible way City boss Pep Guardiola will use Mahrez’s talents. He was in the No. 9 position, having replaced Sergio Aguero.

Mahrez showed the instincts of a natural center-forward. He held his position well, lulling markers into ignoring him. He timed his next move perfectly to dart between two defenders and score a tap-in.

His second goal was reminiscent of the way Mahrez has tormented defenses in England’s top flight in recent years. He pounced on a loose ball in the box and drifted from the inside right onto his left foot before curling a shot in.

Mahrez joining City almost went under the radar, despite the deal costing £60 million. He may have been the champions’ only meaningful signing, but the 27-year-old can make City even better if he’s given more playing time.

Midfielder: Ilkay Gundogan, Manchester City

Gundogan was class personified against the Bluebirds. The ex-Borussia Dortmund ace was the oil in the engine for a City midfield at its free-flowing best even without David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne.

The Citizens didn’t miss either thanks to the way Gundogan directed passing combinations. He recycled possession quickly and imaginatively, always bringing others into the game and picking the right pass in key moments.

Gundogan’s highlight was the sumptuous strike for City’s third goal. He lifted a shot into the top corner after a typically neat one-two with Raheem Sterling.

As good as the goal was, Gundogan wasn’t done. He still managed to tee up Mahrez for the simplest of finishes for City’s fourth.

Having a playmaker as good as Gundogan to supplement Silva and De Bruyne is why City still boast the best squad in the division.

Midfielder: Joao Moutinho, Wolves

Signing Moutinho for a mere £5 million in the summer was a scarcely believable coup for newly promoted Wolves. He may be 31 and have a lengthy injury history, but Moutinho is also one of the more skilled midfield schemers in the game when fit and firing.

The natural playmaker general was in fine form at Old Trafford. Moutinho ran the show from the middle, even upstaging more lauded team-mate Ruben Neves in the process.

His passing was incisive and varied, while Moutinho also rarely shirked his responsibilities to break up play. His endeavour was rewarded in the 53rd minute when he blasted a stunning left-footed shot on the turn past De Gea:

Moutinho ended the day having outplayed United stars Paul Pogba and Fred. It’s hardly a surprise Wolves are defying expectations in 10th with a player this good in their ranks.

Midfielder: James Maddison, Leicester

Moutinho is the bargain of the summer, but James Maddison is the biggest surprise. While he impressed for Championship side Norwich, not many would have anticipated him thriving so quickly at a higher level.

Instead, the gifted No. 10 is one of the more dynamic creative talents of this young season. Maddison showed off his technique when he slammed in a free-kick to send the Foxes on their way to a 3-1 win over Huddersfield on Saturday.

The super strike maintained Maddison’s growing knack for decisive contributions in the final third:

More than his numbers, Maddison is steadily redefining the way Leicester play. This is no longer a team content to cede possession and go direct on the counter.

The Foxes are becoming a more stylish and expansive outfit moving forward. Maddison’s guile and vision between the midfield and forward lines is the main reason why.

Striker: Matej Vydra, Burnley

The Clarets love to pride themselves on a no-nonsense approach led by physical strikers who bully defenders in the air. It’s worked in the past, but Matej Vydra’s inclusion this season is a refreshing change of pace from manager Sean Dyche.

Pace is just what the Czech Republic international brings to Burnley’s forward line. He’s also a more subtle and ruthless finisher than Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes.

The latter came off the bench to score twice against Bournemouth, but it was Vydra who got Burnley started.

His timing, movement and composure in front of goal led to a suave piece of finishing to open the scoring. The 26-year-old proceeded to work the line smartly and always remained a threat to spin in behind.

Vydra adds an exciting new dimension to Burnley’s rugged attack.

Striker: Mohamed Salah, Liverpool

Salah hasn’t quite been himself lately. The forward who rampaged his way to goals galore last season has appeared a little jaded at the start of his second campaign on Merseyside.

Seeing their main man get back among the goals against the Saints pleased Liverpool supporters believing this is the season the club ends a near three-decade wait for a league title.

For a player with the pace to stretch any defense, Salah scores a surprising number of his goals from close in. His instincts in the box were sharp when he pounced to get a faint yet decisive touch on Xherdan Shaqiri’s brilliant free-kick.

Delivering the goods in front of the Anfield faithful has been Salah’s calling card in a Liverpool shirt:

Salah getting back to last season’s form can give the Reds the extra impetus to pull away from their title rivals.

Striker: Alexandre Lacazette, Arsenal

Nobody can say Alexandre Lacazette isn’t making the most of his chances. The Frenchman scored his second goal of the season, in his third start, to help Arsenal beat Everton 2-0 on Sunday.

Lacazette’s stunning curler 11 minutes after the restart turned the tide after Arsenal had been overrun by the Toffees. There was barely a doubt about who would win after Lacazette had struck.

He took a while to justify the £46.5 million the Gunners spent to bring him from Lyon last summer. It almost looks like a bargain fee now, though:

Lacazette is playing well enough to keep the arguably more prolific Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang out of the middle. Aubameyang also scored against the Toffees, but Arsenal have only picked up under Unai Emery since Lacazette came back into the lineup.