Premier League Team of the Week: De Gea, Moura and Fraser feature

Premier League best XI for matchweek 34, featuring David de Gea, Lucas Moura and Ryan Fraser.

David de Gea helped Manchester United survive against a spirited West Ham team and close the gap on the Premier League’s top four. De Gea’s saves ensured United were 2-1 winners at Old Trafford on Saturday, the same day Tottenham went third thanks to Lucas Moura’s hat-trick against Huddersfield.

Spurs and United weren’t the only big winners this weekend. Liverpool stayed top by seeing off Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday, after title rivals Manchester City kept in touch by beating Crystal Palace, with Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling in fine form.

At the other end of the table, Bournemouth helped themselves to five goals against a Brighton side beginning to flirt dangerously with the prospect of relegation.

Newcastle and Southampton also significantly eased relegation woes with wins over Leicester and Wolves, respectively. The Magpies left the King Power Stadium with all three points on Friday, before the Saints handed Wolves a 3-1 defeat thanks to a Nathan Redmond brace.

Find out who else makes the team of the week:

Goalkeeper: David de Gea, Manchester United

De Gea’s brilliance in recent years is at once reason for cheer and cause for concern for United’s fans. The Red Devils’ goalkeeper continues to bail his team out of trouble because he has to.

United needed de Gea even more than usual against the Hammers. The visitors bossed possession, were a threat in the air and manufactured chances for fun.

Sadly, fortune didn’t favor the brave. West Ham had an onside goal ruled out for offside and saw United awarded two penalties, the first of which was dubious to say the least.

Yet even with all those things against them, the Hammers were good for at least a point. It was only de Gea who left them with nothing.

Specifically, it was the Spaniard’s remarkable 78th-minute save to palm away a Michail Antonio header that made the difference. The stop defied the laws of physics and took the momentum out of West Ham’s buoyant attempts to score.

One save doesn’t usually make a summer, nor for a place on this list, but De Gea’s minor miracle merits inclusion.

Defender: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool

Liverpool’s 2-0 win over the Blues wasn’t anywhere near as comfortable as the scoreline might suggest. Instead, Chelsea turned the screw after falling behind to two goals in as many second-half minutes.

It was left to Liverpool’s ultra-athletic back four to preserve the result. Fortunately, right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold continued his fine form this season.

The 20-year-old lost Eden Hazard a few times, once the Belgium international was moved out of a false 9 role and back onto the left flank. However, Alexander-Arnold stuck to his task admirably and also showed an innate instinct for sensing and cutting out danger.

His best defensive contribution came when Hazard beat Joel Matip’s attempts to play offside. Chelsea’s No. 10 would have had a free run at goal, but Alexander-Arnold recovered his position and cleared.

Instincts like these and athleticism on this level are what makes Alexander-Arnold the best young full-back in the division.

Defender: Jamaal Lascelles, Newcastle

Newcastle dropped the first defeat of the Brendan Rodgers era on the Foxes thanks to a stubborn defensive showing led by Jamaal Lascelles.

The powerhouse center-back was in commanding mood against a team loaded with match-winners in the final third. Yet none of Demarai Gray, Harvey Barnes, James Maddison nor Jamie Vardy could find joy against a well-drilled Newcastle back line.

Gray and Barnes’ runs from out to in usually met Lascelles as an immovable object in the middle. Vardy’s more direct pace was rendered ineffective by Lascelles’ smart and disciplined positioning.

The 25-year-old hasn’t always been a linchpin for the Magpies this season, but Lascelles is still the best pure defender in manager Rafa Benitez’s squad.

Defender: Fabian Schar, Newcastle

As good as Lascelles was, Fabian Schar was equally impressive at the heart of Newcastle’s back four. While Lascelles bullied Leicester forwards, Schar offered a calmer, more assured presence.

The Switzerland international made more than a few perfectly timed tackles and interceptions. Schar thwarted several attempts by classy No. 10 Maddison to thread passes through the lines and release Vardy and Co. in behind.

Fortunately for Newcastle, Schar’s own passing was more precise. He made intelligent use of the ball when he won it, getting the Magpies moving with quick transitions from defense and through midfield.

Schar’s technique has shown up in a useful scoring streak this season. It’s also helping him become the deep-lying playmaker Newcastle need.

Midfielder: Ryan Fraser, Bournemouth

Ryan Fraser proved links with Arsenal are more than merited with a superb display against Brighton. He helped himself to a goal and an assist to power the Cherries to their biggest win of the season.

Fraser’s vision, touch and drive made the slick and stylish game manager Eddie Howe dreams about come to life. It helped Fraser had his most important collaborator, striker Callum Wilson, back fit and firing:

The landmark combination occurred when Wilson played Fraser in 10 minutes after the restart. Fraser later turned provider in the 81st minute when he teed up in-form Wilson to cap the rout.

Midfielder: Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City

It’s a measure of how disrupted De Bruyne’s season has been by injuries that arguably the most effective goal-maker in the division has taken until mid-April to register his first assists in the league.

His initial assist for Sterling at Selhurst Park was worth the wait. De Bruyne nudged a flawlessly angled ball through a gap with the perfect weight and pace to match Sterling’s run.

It was a pass so good it dictated how Sterling should finish.

Thankfully, De Bruyne wasn’t done creating. He still had time to prod substitute Gabriel Jesus into the clear to make it 3-1 just when the Eagles had hope of snatching a point.

De Bruyne has been limited to just 10 league starts, but City will pip Liverpool to the title if he stays upright and in this form during the run-in.

Midfielder: Nathan Redmond, Southampton

Redmond’s growing confidence showed up in the way he consistently beat Wolves to the punch at St Mary’s Stadium. He was quicker than his markers and cooler than his teammates when through on goal.

Southampton’s main attacking outlet needed less than two minutes to make his renewed form count. He met a low cross from Josh Sims with a note-perfect run and a decisive finish.

Redmond’s range of movement and pace caught Wolves cold again on the half-hour mark. This time, the 25-year-old angled his run brilliantly to wrong-foot center-back Conor Coady.

The neat touch Redmond used to control another Sims pass positioned him to deftly lift over Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patricio.

Reviving the form of the Saints’ best player has been the most important change Ralph Hasenhuttl has made since taking over as manager:

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It’s proving enough to keep Southampton safe from the drop.

Midfielder: Lucas Moura, Tottenham

You don’t need Harry Kane when Lucas Moura decides to play. The former Paris Saint-Germain winger isn’t always in the mood, but he can be as devastating as any top-flight attacker when he’s on song.

Moura was up for the fight against the Terriers. More important, he welcomed the challenge of making Tottenham’s forward line tick in injured Kane’s absence.

Moura’s first goal combined the peak attributes of his game. Namely, his pace, balance, close control and shooting power.

After finding the net from a tight angle, he showed a deft touch to set himself for a simple finish inside the box. Another run from off the right flank positioned Moura to take his shot early and wrap up the hat-trick.

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If manager Mauricio Pochettino can coax a few more performances like this from Moura, Tottenham will comfortably hold onto third place.

Midfielder: Raheem Sterling, Manchester City

As good as De Bruyne was against Palace, Sterling has made every one of City’s many playmakers better this season. He’s given them an assortment of perceptive runs to aim for.

De Bruyne, David Silva and Co. can trust Sterling’s pace will take him behind any defense. Yet the way the England international is angling his runs has made him more dangerous.

Sterling has improved his timing and developed his sense of space. The result is a forward who knows where to go to find the best gap to exploit.

Said quality helped Sterling net his 20th and 21st goals of a career campaign for the 24-year-old who should take home every meaningful best player gong.

Striker: Chris Wood, Burnley

Chris Wood is a throwback to the classic center-forwards who used to dominate the sport’s past. He’s a bullish target man who beats up defenses and dominates in the air.

Wood made the most of two headers to help Burnley brush Cardiff aside at Turf Moor. The goals were typical of the direct game the New Zealand international thrives in.

Having Wood to aim for means the Clarets’ long-ball passes from deep rarely go to waste. He’s also a reliable-enough target man to help wingers Jeff Hendrick and the precocious Dwight McNeil perfect their crossing abilities.

Workmanlike teams that consistently beat the drop do so because they boast the goals to match their industry. Wood reaching double digits for the season is a big reason why Burnley are safe.

Striker: Callum Wilson, Bournemouth

Bournemouth are a dangerous team when Callum Wilson is playing at full capacity. The Cherries’ lethal weapon was clicking at the Amex Stadium.

Wilson scored Bournemouth’s fourth, having teed up Fraser earlier. The versatile frontman is maturing into a complete striker:

A campaign as prolific as this one will surely have members of the division’s top six looking Wilson’s way this summer. If they don’t, he will continue to help his Cherries teammates punch above their weight next season.