Premier League Team of the Week: Mane, De Bruyne and Pukki feature

Premier League best XI for Week 2 of the 2019/20 season, featuring Sadio Mane, Kevin De Bruyne and Teemu Pukki.

Sadio Mane’s return helped Liverpool seize the early initiative in the Premier League title race in the second week of the 2019/20 season. He scored one goal and set up another to help the Reds overcome his former club, Southampton.

Manchester City couldn’t match Liverpool’s result, despite the best efforts of Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian created a pair of goals, but the champions were undone by two Tottenham equalizers and late, late intervention of VAR.

City and Liverpool remain better than the rest, but newly promoted Norwich are already finding this Premier League lark easier than expected. Teemu Pukki’s goals are proving key, with the Finn on target three times during an emphatic win over Newcastle.

Find out who else joins the division’s surprise joint-top scorer in the latest team of the week:

Goalkeeper: Lukasz Fabianski, West Ham

Lukasz Fabianski often leads a thankless life between the sticks for West Ham. He’s called into action a lot, so usually makes his share of saves, yet even his best performances don’t guarantee points for a team vulnerable defensively and goal-shy in attack.

Saturday provided a respite for Fabianski, who enjoyed seeing his efforts rewarded as he helped earn a 1-1 draw away to Brighton. The Polish stopper was decisive claiming crosses and quick off his line to thwart one-on-one opportunities.

As well as he played, Fabianski could do little about Leandro Trossard’s emphatic, 65th-minute equalizer. Even so, the former Arsenal man was the main reason the Hammers opened their account for the season with a creditable point.

Defender: Lucas Digne, Everton

Everton’s growing defensive nous owes a lot to the industry of left-back Lucas Digne. The Frenchman was the standout performer when the Toffees overcame Watford 1-0 at Goodison Park on Saturday.

In what is fast becoming a typical performance for the ex-Paris Saint-Germain defender, Digne was effective at both ends of the pitch. He showcased impressive application tracking back, using tremendous recovery pace to ensure Everton rarely lost a solid shape in front of goal.

Digne’s best contribution was part of the attacking phase when his raking pass from deep sent Bernard clear to net the winner.

The Toffees have turned their home pitch into an impregnable fortress for opposition attackers. Digne’s athleticism is a key component of their formidable back five.

Defender: Jack O’Connell, Sheffield United

Like Norwich, Sheffield United are proving a quick study of life in England’s top flight. The Blades are on four points after beating Crystal Palace 1-0 at home on Sunday.

Defense has been the catalyst for the fast start. Specifically, a back three led by burgeoning talent Jack O’Connell has given United an edge.

The 25-year-old was outstanding against Palace. He stayed tight to danger man Wilfried Zaha and denied him the space for runs from out to in.

When he got on the ball, O’Connell showcased some sweet distribution from a cultured left foot. His range and radar helped release the Blades’ enterprising wing-backs behind the Palace defense on numerous occasions.

Defender: George Baldock, Sheffield United

Enda Stevens often attracts more plaudits on the left, but right-back George Baldock is proving just as influential. His drive and industry kept Palace stretched in wide areas.

Baldock rarely seems to tire, nor does he pass up many opportunities to break forward from the back. His relentless style and awesome engine are invaluable traits for the 3-5-2 formation Blades’ boss Chris Wilder believes in.

The only blot on Baldock’s copybook against the Eagles was a rash tackle on midfielder James McCarthy. Having been lucky not to be sent off, Baldock should take the fortunate escape as a warning to curb some of the wanton aggression in his otherwise increasingly impressive game.

Midfielder: James Maddison, Leicester

The traditional No. 10 is supposed to be a dying breed in the modern game. Just don’t tell James Maddison, because the Leicester schemer is keeping the position relevant.

Maddison was the creative heartbeat for the Foxes during Sunday’s 1-1 draw away to Chelsea. He played off striker Jamie Vardy and exploited spaces intelligently between the midfield and forward lines.

Technique and an astute eye for a pass define Maddison’s style. Those qualities make him deadly from set pieces, and so it proved when his corner was headed in by Wilfred Ndidi on 67 minutes for Leicester’s equaliser.

Aside from some devilish deliveries and neat passes, Maddison took on shots on with a bravado as important to his ownership of games as his physical talents.

Still just 22, Maddison is the confident and gifted creator both Leicester and the England national team must trust as their focal point.

Midfielder: Mason Mount, Chelsea

England could be spoiled for choice when it comes to picking an elegant No. 10 if Mason Mount continues to develop at this rapid a rate.

The 20-year-old was Chelsea’s standout player against the Foxes. He opened the scoring after seven minutes, showing the instincts for a chance and coolness in front of goal his manager Frank Lampard used to become the Blues’ greatest-ever goalscorer.

Mount wasn’t shy about looking for more goals, seizing opportunities to shoot whenever they came his way. The appetite for goal was impressive, but Mount’s ability to combine with pass-master Jorginho was equally commendable.

Lampard has made a brave decision to make a youngster the creative fulcrum of his rebuilding team. Yet Mount’s skill, speed of thought and efficiency are making the gamble look like an inspired move.

Midfielder: Dani Ceballos, Arsenal

Speaking of a masterstroke, Arsenal’s decision to take Dani Ceballos on loan from Real Madrid already looks like one. The Spaniard used his first start to restore the speed and fluency to the Gunners’ passing during Saturday’s 2-1 win over Burnley.

Ceballos was energetic but thoughtful. He snapped into challenges and pressed high, but made efficient use of possession whenever he got on the ball.

Deft touches, quick feet and exceptional balance made Ceballos something the Clarets’ midfield couldn’t handle.

Arsenal’s style suffered somewhat last season when Unai Emery replaced Arsene Wenger and jettisoned pint-sized playmakers Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla. Ceballos has the right attributes to makes the Gunners the league’s great entertainers once again.

Midfielder: Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City

Kevin De Bruyne has needed just two games to provide more assists than anyone else in the division. Shock, horror.

The Belgian can be a feast-or-famine player, with his insatiable appetite for threading passes between defenders leading to as many overly ambitious choices as quality assists.

Fortunately for City, De Bruyne’s radar was largely on point against Tottenham. He curled a terrific cross into the patch of Raheem Sterling for the Citizens’ opener, before whipping a low, pinpoint delivery onto the boot of Sergio Augero for the second.

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Injuries kept him sidelined and frustrated for most of last season, but De Bruyne is already making up for lost time. It’s an ominous sign for City’s main rivals.

Midfielder: Harry Wilson, Bournemouth

Jurgen Klopp’s confidence in his midfield options at Liverpool is best summed up by his continued willingness to let a player as talented as Harry Wilson go out on loan.

The winger excelled for Derby County in the Championship last season and is quickly making an impact with Bournemouth. Wilson scored what proved to be the Cherries’ winning goal against Aston Villa on Saturday to cap a superb all-round display.

His wand of a left foot, close control and natural acceleration routinely destroyed the shape of Villa’s defense. His pace and perceptive movement made an excellent target for central playmaker Andrew Surman and creative wide man Ryan Fraser, while Wilson also proved himself capable of contributing to the Cherries’ slick interchanges.

This loan deal has the potential to be one of the smarter bits of business any Premier League team produced during this summer’s transfer window.

Striker: Teemu Pukki, Norwich

There many not be a better bargain anywhere in England in recent years than Pukki. He joined the Canries on a free transfer in 2018 and promptly scored the goals to fire them into the Premier League.

Going up a level hasn’t slowed the 29-year-old down in front of goal. His hat-trick against the Magpies took his tally to four in two games:

Pukki’s confidence was obvious by the way he volleyed Norwich in front on Saturday. It was a sweetly-struck first-time hit to connect with a ball dropping out of the air in the box.

A striker only chances his luck on such an occasion when he believes he can do no wrong. The emphatic way Pukki took his second and third goals showed nothing is beyond him at the moment.

Striker: Sadio Mane, Liverpool

Confidence has never been an issue for Sadio Mane, and neither it seems is physical fitness. The 27-year-old reached the Africa Cup of Nations final with Senegal this summer and played 120 minutes as Liverpool beat Chelsea on penalties in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday.

Mane was still fit enough to start in Southampton on Saturday. Not only was he able to feature from the beginning, he also thrived, scoring a magnificent opener after a couple of smart touches preceded a rasping drive into the corner.

There is not much left to add to Mane’s game, but a creative streak couldn’t hurt. He set up only one league goal last season but already has an assist to his credit in the new campaign after playing in Roberto Firmino.

If Mane becomes a more generous supplier he’ll be well on his way to becoming the undisputed best striker in the division.