Premier League Team of the Week: Sterling, Pogba and Salah feature

Goalkeeper: Jordan Pickford, Everton

Jordan Pickford was more known for the calamitous goals he let in than the points he saved last season. Things are looking up for the Toffees’ stopper at the start of the new campaign, though, after Pickford blanked Crystal Palace.

He proved a stubborn last line of defense at Selhurst Park, making saves to deny Jordan Ayew and Max Meyer. Pickford saved his best stop for late on when he was agile enough to block Connor Wickham’s effort.

Everton have been hoping to see performances like this on a regular basis since stumping up £30 million to acquire Pickford in 2017. Slowly but surely it’s beginning to look like money well spent.

Defender: Lewis Dunk, Brighton

Brighton thumping Watford 3-0 at Vicarage Road was one of the more surprising results of the opening weekend. Yet a clean sheet for the Seagulls shouldn’t rate as much of a shock given how well Lewis Dunk has played in recent seasons.

The burly center-back was in a miserly mood against the Hornets. He bossed physical strike duo Troy Deeney and Andre Gray in the air and timed his interventions on the deck superbly.

Dunk also proved a considerable menace at the other end of the pitch. The 27-year-old got his head to more than a few set-piece deliveries and even found time to assist Neal Maupay to score Brighton’s third.

This was a complete performance from the most consistent defender not playing for a member of the big six.

Defender: Willy Boly, Wolves

Keeping Leicester goalless at the King Power Stadium is no small feat given the Foxes’ ample array of attacking talent. Yet Wolves had a superb deterrent against Jamie Vardy, Ayoze Perez, James Maddison and Youri Tielemans.

His name is Willy Boly, the French defender who led a terrific rearguard action for last season’s surprise package. Boly was an unbreakable last line of defense, routinely blocking shots intercepting through passes and getting the telling touch to clear danger from set pieces.

Those making the deliveries for Leicester found it close to impossible to avoid Boly’s imposing frame. His resolve held together a disciplined back three that once again looks like being the cornerstone to another solid campaign.

Defender: Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Arsenal

Arsenal defenders aren’t supposed to make this list, right? The Gunners are a front-loaded team with a patchwork and accident-prone group at the back destined to undermine their season.

While, Sokratis Papastathopoulos hasn’t been following the narrative. Instead, the Greek powerhouse led a makeshift back four to a clean sheet during a 1-0 win away to Newcastle.

Sokratis was the calm, experienced influence alongside Calum Chambers. He made his tackles count, kept his position well and never backed out of an aerial challenge.

Keeping Newcastle quiet meant dealing with club-record signing Joelinton. Sokratis duly bossed the beefy Brazilian in the air and also helped cut off the lines of supply to supporting forward Miguel Almiron.

Arsenal will face more enterprising attacks this season, but at least Sokratis has proved the Gunners’ defense won’t be the horror show many have predicted.

Midfielder: Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City

The ultimate testament to City’s awesome strength in depth came from winning last season’s title while Kevin De Bruyne made only 11 starts in the league.

With injury woes behind him, City’s most consistent creator was back to his best against the Hammers. De Bruyne rarely made a sideways or backwards pass, instead always looking for the ball to exploit defensive gaps.

He spotted plenty of those and provided the supply Sterling and Gabriel Jesus needed to live goal-side of the West Ham back four. De Bruyne’s best pass was his assist for Sterling’s first goal, the signature moment of yet another creative masterclass:

https://twitter.com/StatmanDave/status/1160175895937765387

Having De Bruyne back on song is perhaps the strongest of the many arguments for why City will win a third title in a row.

Midfielder: Paul Pogba, Manchester United

Amid all of the dispute he generates, it’s easy to forget the one immutable fact about Pogba. The Frenchman is a world-class playmaker when he’s in the mood.

There’s no doubt Pogba was up for it against Chelsea. Playing in a slightly withdrawn role as the senior statesman in a midfield also containing 23-year-old Andreas Pereira and Scott McTominay, 22, brought out the best in Pogba.

His best included a highlight-reel worthy assist for Marcus Rashford’s second goal:

Few players even see that pass. Even fewer are technically adept enough to actually play it.

Pogba wasn’t done, though, and still managed to tee up substitute Daniel James for a debut goal in a United shirt.

Question his temperament all you like, but there’s no disputing Pogba’s creative output.

Midfielder: Tanguy Ndombele, Tottenham

Tottenham fans rarely seem satisfied with the club’s transfer business, but surely any discontent is misplaced this summer? The performance of record-buy Tanguy Ndombele during the 3-1 win over Aston Villa should placate the naysayers.

It was Ndombele’s drive, tenacity and ingenuity that woke up a sluggish group previously second-best to their newly promoted visitors. Ndombele unleashed a terrific shot for Tottenham’s equaliser and became the hub of Spurs’ ownership of possession while the tide turned.

This kind of talismanic ownership of the middle of the park is why Daniel Levy paid £53.8 million to convince Lyon into parting company with one of the most gifted midfielders on the continent.

Midfielder: Riyad Mahrez, Manchester City

He doesn’t always start, but whenever he gets the nod Riyad Mahrez doesn’t let City down. The wing wizard took the game to West Ham from the start, gliding off the right flank to cause a host of problems with his wand of a left foot.

Mahrez unleashed rasping shots to keep goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski on his toes. He also bypassed defenders with deft passes to release runners in behind.

The best of those passes allowed Sterling to net his second. It was  a deft flick over the defense, typical of the flair Mahrez is capable of at any moment.

Mahrez also won the penalty substitute Sergio Aguero converted. Not content with having a hand in two goals, Mahrez even teed up Sterling to complete his hat-trick.

Of all of City’s many match-winners, Mahrez is the most underrated.

Striker: Mohamed Salah, Liverpool

There was no surprise at all about Salah getting off the mark as quickly as the 19th minute against Norwich. He’s been the driving force of the best front three in Europe from the moment he arrived at Anfield in 2017.

For all the goals, it’s often easy to overlook Salah’s other contributions. The Egyptian is a useful supplier of assists, tallying eight last season and starting this campaign by putting a corner onto the head of Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool’s third.

Salah made sure the Reds lost none of their attacking potency while Sadio Mane was rested after his extended summer at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal. Mane, who came off the bench inside the last 20 minutes, will need time to get up to speed, but Salah already looks set for yet another prolific campaign.

Striker: Harry Kane, Tottenham

There was a time when goals and the month of August didn’t go together for Harry Kane. Fortunately for Tottenham, those days are long gone after Kane bagged a brace to see off Villa.

It marks the second-straight season Kane has found the net during the opening month. Never shy about taking on a shot, the England international already looks in the mood to make up for the injury hit end to last season.

Kane was lame during the Champions League final defeat to Liverpool, but the spring was back in his step on Saturday. So was the willingness to try his luck from almost any angle and distance.

https://twitter.com/StatmanDave/status/1160256738312032256

Spurs will stay closer to the title-chasers with Kane in this sort of form.

Striker: Raheem Sterling, Manchester City

Moving to City in 2015 is the best decision Sterling made for his career. He joined a team geared to exploiting his core talents, namely pace and some of the most intelligent movement in the game.

City’s platoon of pass-masters create the tap-ins and free runs on goal Sterling has needed to improve his finishing. He’s no longer erratic with chances, instead the 24-year-old is ruthless.

Sterling’s growing confidence and assurance showed in the accomplished way he took his goals against West Ham.

Pep Guardiola is prepared to rotate Jesus and Aguero as the focal point of his attack, but he knows he needs Sterling every week.