Premier League Team of the Week: Salah, Maddison, Grealish feature

Check out our picks for the Premier League best XI for Week 21, featuring Mohamed Salah, James Maddison and Jack Grealish.

Liverpool showed no let-up in pursuit of the Premier League title after the calendar flipped from 2019 to 2020. The Reds maintained a 13-point cushion ahead of Leicester after Mohamed Salah inspired a 2-0 win over Sheffield United on Thursday.

The Foxes had temporarily cut the gap after thrashing Newcastle on New Year’s Day. James Maddison’s wonder strike was the pick of the goals.

Leicester’s No. 10 is arguably the most exciting young playmaker in the division. However, the 23-year-old’s status is being challenged by Jack Grealish.

Aston Villa’s creative talisman was superb during a 2-1 win over Burnley, good enough to lift Villa out of the bottom three.

Find out who else joins Grealish, Maddison and Salah in the first team of the week of 2020:

Goalkeeper: Alex McCarthy, Southampton

Supplanting Fraser Forster in the Saints’ goal last season hinted at Alex McCarthy’s quality. The 30-year-old stopper has since proved his ascension was no fluke.

McCarthy excelled between the sticks when Southampton beat Tottenham 1-0 on Wednesday. He denied Harry Kane with a pair of smart stops during the first half.

Not content with those contributions, McCarthy stood up to a Jan Vertonghen effort after the break. It wrapped an exceptional effort from the Saints to dent Spurs’ top-four hopes.

Defender: Jack Stephens, Southampton

McCarthy was supplemented by a stubborn backline led superbly by Jack Stephens. The center-back was aggressive against Kane, but always stayed alert to runners off the ball.

It meant Stephens was in place to block more than one shot from winger Lucas Moura. He was also able to render the influence of attacking midfielder Dele Alli moot.

Aside from being a formidable presence at the back, Stephens also proved a factor going forward. His pass found Danny Ings, who promptly turned Toby Alderweireld inside out before slotting in Southampton’s winner.

Defender: Lewis Dunk, Brighton

Brighton were able to dampen Chelsea’s spirits after the Blues had beaten Arsenal 2-1 on Sunday because of Lewis Dunk’s complete performance. The burly defender gave Chelsea No. 9 Tammy Abraham no room in and around the area.

Dunk bossed Abraham in the air and stayed close to him on the deck. He also routinely got Brighton moves started with smart and efficient passing out from the back.

Dunk’s creative work even extended to assisting the spectacular 84th-minute equalizer from Alireza Jahanbakhsh. Dunk is improving every season, and it will be a shock if he’s not the subject of a major bid from a member of the top six during the summer.

Defender: Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool

Granted, the Blades didn’t offer much of a threat on Merseyside, but Virgil van Dijk’s assured display still rates a mention. It’s a new year, but the Dutchman remains unquestionably the best center-back in the game.

Van Dijk showed off every facet of his awesome skill-set on Thursday. He was combative yet disciplined defensively, timing his uncompromising tackles superbly.

On the ball, Van Dijk once again proved himself a supreme, deep-lying playmaker:

Liverpool’s grip on the title won’t loosen as long as Van Dijk is fit enough to hold the spine of the team together.

Midfielder: Gerard Deulofeu, Watford

Watford’s rapid turnaround on Nigel Pearson’s watch owes everything to the terrific performances of Gerard Deulofeu. The one-time graduate of Barcelona’s academy is a mercurial talent who can decide any match when in the mood.

Fortunately for Pearson, Deulofeu is in the mood to help the Hornets beat the drop. He opened the scoring during Wednesday’s 2-1 win over familiar victim Wolves:

https://twitter.com/WatfordFC/status/1212765744909320193

The creative winger also found the time to tee up Abdoulaye Doucoure to double Watford’s tally. Deulofeu now has two goals and an assist to his credit since Pearson took charge in December.

Midfielder: Mark Noble, West Ham

The first game of David Moyes’ second spell in charge of West Ham was defined by established players returning to form. Moyes replaced Manuel Pellegrini in the Hammers’ dugout and leaned on the experience of Mark Noble during the 4-0 win over Bournemouth.

The 32-year-old tucked away a pair of penalties against the Cherries. Keeping his nerve from 12 yards was impressive, but so was Noble’s assured use of the ball and commitment to the defensive side of his game.

Noble is a tough and resourceful player who leads by example. His graft and quality will define how quickly Moyes and the Hammers move away from trouble.

Midfielder: James Maddison, Leicester

Maddison’s talent is beyond doubt, but his ability to deliver at the top level could be questioned after tame showings in defeats to Manchester City and Liverpool.

So his brilliant display against the Magpies was well-timed. Maddison’s signature moment at St. James’ Park came six minutes before the break when he sent a ferocious strike into the top corner:

https://twitter.com/NBCSportsSoccer/status/1212398212197371904

The goal provided a tantalizing hint at the more to come from England’s most artful and elegant schemer in years.

Midfielder: Jack Grealish, Aston Villa

Grealish’s second foray into Premier League life is proving a fruitful one. Villa’s creator-in-chief is keeping the supposedly dying art of the No. 10 alive.

Grealish was the inspiration for Villa’s success at Turf Moor. He saw an early goal chalked off by yet another dubious offside ruling from VAR, but soon recovered to produce a finish the replay system couldn’t challenge.

His goal in the 41st minute proved to be the winner and added to a commendable haul in attacking areas:

https://twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/1212708058482253831

Grealish is gifted enough to keep Villa up. Yet his club will struggle to keep him from a big-money transfer once the season ends.

Midfielder: Nicolas Pepe, Arsenal

Arsenal fans have been waiting for Nicolas Pepe to prove his worth. The Ivory Coast winger chose the visit of Manchester United on New Year’s Day to announce himself.

Pepe opened the scoring with a neat and decisive finish in the eighth minute:

https://twitter.com/NBCSportsSoccer/status/1212465898726068226

The goal was merely the start of a masterclass in wing play. Pepe teased and tormented United left-back Luke Shaw with pace and subtle skills.

He remained effective even when taking time off from running Shaw ragged. Pepe’s corner led to Arsenal’s second goal when Sokratis Papastathopoulos converted from inside the box.

Mikel Arteta has underperforming stars playing above themselves, and he’ll hope this is just the beginning for Pepe.

Striker: Gabriel Jesus, Manchester City

City won’t win a third title in a row, but the club’s future is still secure because of up-and-coming talents like Gabriel Jesus. The 22-year-old has a natural affinity for finishing that’s impossible to teach.

Jesus was coolness personified when he put two goals past improving Everton on Wednesday. The first of those goals was an emphatic shot curled into the top corner.

Next, Jesus shot hard and low when running onto a Riyad Mahrez pass. Jesus had found space yet again thanks to the subtle timing and range of his movement in attacking areas.

The South American plays like a veteran goalscorer at the top level. He’s City’s obvious successor to Sergio Aguero, and it’s not unreasonable to think Jesus could one day be better than the prolific Argentinian.

Striker: Mohamed Salah, Liverpool

Salah’s ruthless efficiency in front of goal mirrors the consistency Liverpool have imposed, both domestically and in Europe, in recent seasons.

Said consistency has the Reds closing in on a first top-flight title since 1990. Salah kept the momentum going when he found the net in the fourth minute against the Blades.

His decisive touch from close range continued the Egyptian’s steady run of scoring in bunches at club level:

https://twitter.com/Squawka/status/1212827664928653313

Salah has four goals in his last five league games, an ominous sign he is just beginning to hit his peak this season. If so, Liverpool’s romp to the title will barely be threatened.