Premier League Team of the Week: Martial, Silva and Lamela feature

Premier League best XI for matchweek 9, featuring Anthony Martial, David Silva and Erik Lamela.

Jose Mourinho discovered this management lark isn’t so hard when you simply let talented players play. Mourinho’s reward for giving Anthony Martial, a forward he’s maligned, a second-straight start was two goals to earn Manchester United a point at Chelsea.

The 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge wasn’t enough to get United back into the thick of the title race. It’s a race already being bossed by champions Manchester City, who put five past Burnley on Saturday.

David Silva was at his best at the heart of the Citizens midfield as he teed up teammates and created chances at will.

Silva’s stellar form is hardly a surprise, but there has to be at least mild shock at how well Erik Lamela is playing. The winger has rarely looked worth the £25-plus million Spurs paid for him back in 2013, but he is finally becoming a key contributor in the final third after scoring the lone goal to beat West Ham.

Find out who else makes the team of the week:

Goalkeeper: Mat Ryan, Brighton

Brighton’s stubborn rearguard at Newcastle has the Magpies fearing relegation and boss Rafa Benitez on his guard against the axe being swung by owner Mike Ashley.

Benitez is in the path of the chop because of how well Mat Ryan played in the Brighton goal as the Seagulls left St James’ Park with a 1-0 win on Saturday. Ryan set the tone early with a splendid save to frustrate Ayoze Perez.

Fortunately for Brighton, it was one of many stops made by the 26-year-old stopper. Ryan bossed his penalty area and was never shy about coming out to claim crosses ahead of hard-charging Newcastle attackers.

The Australia international also stood tall in one-on-one situations to bail out a defense played through more than once. A goalkeeper playing this well breeds clean sheets like the two on the spin Brighton have registered.

Defender: Benjamin Mendy, Manchester City

Benjamin Mendy has slowly been working back toward full fitness and into the good graces of manager Pep Guardiola. The latter will have been happy to see City’s social media warrior back close to his buccaneering best against the Clarets.

Mendy was relentless raiding the flank as he carried the fight to Burnley with typical pace and power. Those runs meant the man in possession for City always had an obvious outlet.

There was more to Mendy’s performance than laudable energy, though. He showcased the end product that made him a star for Monaco and convinced City to pay £52 million for him last summer when he slid in Leroy Sane for goal number five.

Having Mendy on song gives the division’s deadliest attack yet another weapon to torment opponents with.

Defender: Jack Stephens, Southampton

Jack Stephens’ return to the starting XI proved the ideal tonic for Southampton’s leaky defense. The Saints had the former Plymouth center-back to thank for the clean sheet they kept in Bournemouth.

Stephens wasn’t awed by facing the Cherries’ terrific front three of Ryan Fraser, Callum Wilson and Joshua King. Instead, he quietly but effectively stuck to the task of keeping this prolific trio under wraps.

Wilson rarely escaped Stephens’ touch-tight man marking, while King couldn’t best him in the air. Stephens also refused to be outfoxed by Fraser’s clever and well-timed runs from out to in.

Southampton boss Mark Hughes drafted in Stephens in place of Maya Yoshida after conceding 10 goals in four league matches. Stephens did enough against the Cherries to let Hughes know he should keep his place.

Defender: Michael Keane, Everton

Michael Keane offered a reminder defenders can help decide games at both ends of the pitch. The proactive center-back played a part in both of Everton’s goals as the Toffees left it late to beat Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Keane took a beating in the air early on, but he remained on point against the Eagles’ pace from the flanks. Both Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend presented the ability to stretch the Toffees up top, but Keane rarely let himself get caught in a footrace with either flyer.

He also made sure he didn’t let Zaha or Townsend get the ball on their favored foot. This was smart, steady defending from the 25-year-old who has struggled for consistency since leaving Burnley for the blue half of Merseyside in 2017.

As good as he was keeping the door locked at the back, Keane’s signature moment came in the attacking third. He showed decent vision and technique to release Cenk Tosun over the top to add to Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s opener.

Keane had done enough to receive some well-deserved plaudits:

https://twitter.com/ALANMYERSMEDIA/status/1054128034050138123

If Everton can get Keane back to his 2016 best, the Toffees will have a natural talisman at the heart of defense.

Defender: Joe Gomez, Liverpool

Liverpool spent big this summer, but many of the Reds’ best signings have come from bargain deals like the one to sign Joe Gomez. He cost a mere £3.5 million when he moved from Charlton in 2015.

It looks like stealing now considering how impressive the 21-year-old is this season. Equally comfortable as a central defender or right-back, Gomez is rapidly becoming as important to the Liverpool back four as world’s most-expensive defender Virgil van Dijk.

Gomez proved his burgeoning status during Liverpool’s 1-0 win away to Huddersfield on Saturday. It was a scrappy affair, during which the Reds were far from their free-flowing selves going forward, despite Mohamed Salah’s early goal.

Fortunately, Liverpool could rely on Gomez to keep the clean sheet safe. His recovery pace, anticipation and timing were all flawless, while he also wasn’t afraid to stay strong in the air.

There was equal positivity about his efforts to supplement the Reds’ attack. Smart work from Gomez helped create Salah’s goal after he released Xherdan Shaqiri to play the decisive pass.

Gomez has the makings of a complete defender who could underpin Liverpool’s back line for the next decade.

Midfielder: Erik Lamela, Tottenham

Free-scoring isn’t a phrase usually associated with Lamela. Until now, that is, after the Argentina international added to his growing collection of magic moments in attacking areas.

Lamela showed off his renewed confidence as a goal-getter when he stayed alert to track Moussa Sissoko’s cross and head in the winner against the Hammers:

His patience and instincts offered proof of the enlarged appetite for goals evident in Lamela this season. Spurs should be thankful the 26-year-old is at last making the grade.

Lamela has replaced the creative verve missing while playmaker general Christian Eriksen has been injured. He’s also restocked Tottenham’s cutting edge while goals have dried up for Lucas Moura and Dele Alli.

Midfielder: David Silva, Manchester City

No matter how many stars they surround him with, David Silva remains the key cog in the City machine. The pocket-edition playmaker is the oil in the engine for the league leaders.

Silva underlined his enduring class with a masterful display against Burnley. His deft dissection of the Clarets included assists for both Sergio Aguero and Bernardo Silva to go with an array of other artful passes:

Having Silva’s timeless brilliance helping dictate play maintains City’s status as the team to beat. Add in the return of fellow schemer Kevin De Bruyne, and the Citizens already look like a lock for another title.

Midfielder: Fernandinho, Manchester City

As much as Silva and De Bruyne delight, their wizardry would only go so far if it wasn’t backed up by the brawn of Fernandinho. The Brazilian anchorman is the safety valve for City’s forward-thinking artisans.

It’s a job Fernandinho performs quietly but as effectively as any holding player in the game. He was his usual bundle of disciplined aggression to help stymie Burnley.

Yet in case anybody forgets, Fernandinho has some magic of his own in his boots, specifically the right one. He thundered in City’s third goal 11 minutes after the break with the power and accuracy of a player who scores for fun.

Fernandinho still had time to tee up Riyad Mahrez to net a trademark curler.

Of all the quality City boast in forward areas, this team simply wouldn’t work without Fernandinho propping it up.

Midfielder: Roberto Pereyra, Watford

Richarlison, who? It’s the question Watford fans should be asking after way Roberto Pereyra has filled the void left by the Brazil international who joined Everton this summer.

Pereyra scored Watford’s second as the Hornets chalked up an impressive 2-0 win away to Wolves. The quality finish took Pereyra’s tally to four goals, a solid return from a player with the flair and guile to unlock any defense.

Pereyra has struggled putting those qualities to full use because of injuries down the years. Yet he’s still just 27 and has become the focal point of a midfield loaded with gifted players.

Will Hughes and Abdoulaye Doucoure are both in good form, but it’s Pereyra’s creativity Watford manager Javi Gracia looks for to keep his team’s surprising run going.

Striker: Anthony Martial, Manchester United

Quite why Martial doesn’t start more often for United only Mourinho knows. Whenever he is given a chance, the Frenchman usually shows the Red Devils what they have been missing.

What United had missed was the ruthless and decisive finishing Martial can produce when opportunities come his way. He stuck away his first goal against Chelsea with rasping power after a neat piece of instant control to tame a deflected ball in the box.

Martial’s second was just as sudden and emphatic as he took another deft touch before slamming in a half-volley.

The goals offered a timely reminder of the efficiency Martial is capable of:

Add these to his goal in the 3-2 comeback over Newcastle that saved Mourinho’s bacon, and there’s no logical reason to keep Martial on the outside looking in any longer.

Striker: Bobby Reid, Cardiff

Cardiff’s first win largely came about thanks to striker Bobby Reid. He almost singlehandedly lifted the Bluebirds out of the bottom three with a dynamic performance during a 4-2 victory against leaky Fulham.

Reid gave the Bluebirds their first lead of the game when he added to Josh Murphy’s goal. The finish was coolness personified, offering proof 25-year-old Reid can get the goals Cardiff will need to beat the drop.

Reid supplemented his maiden goal in England’s top flight with a series of stretching runs in behind the Fulham defense. His pace gave the Cottagers problems all day, as did the way Reid intelligently worked the last line.

If he adds more precision to the timing of his runs, along with a little more nuance as a finisher, Reid will become a tricky handful for every other Premier League defense.