Premier League Team of the Week: Van Dijk, Abraham and Richarlison feature

Best XI from matchday 22 in the Premier League, featuring Liverpool talisman Virgil van Dijk, along with Tammy Abraham, Richarlison and more.

Liverpool aren’t going to let go of their unbeaten run without a fight. Not as long as Virgil van Dijk is anchoring the title-chasing Reds.

Van Dijk was superb during the leaders’ 1-0 win away to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. His standout performance at the back was only bettered by Georginio Wijnaldum’s complete display at the heart of midfield.

Liverpool are simply overpowering teams, but Chelsea are relying more on finesse. The Blues were at their slick and creative best during Saturday’s 3-0 victory over Burnley.

Chelsea’s pretty patterns have the ideal focal point in skilled target man Tammy Abraham. He added another goal in what is proving to be a prolific and breakout campaign at this level.

Richarlison’s credentials are already well-established in England’s top flight. The Brazilian was brilliant for Marco Silva, but is looking even better for the latter’s successor, Carlo Ancelotti.

The Toffees had Richarlison to thank for a narrow win over Brighton. It’s the third in four league games since Ancelotti took the reins.

Find out who else makes the latest team of the week:

Goalkeeper: Dean Henderson, Sheffield United

Sheffield United sit sixth in the table because of a stingy defense. It’s a tough and versatile unit built around a back three and the quality of Dean Henderson between the sticks.

The on-loan Manchester United goalkeeper didn’t have a great deal to do during Friday’s 1-0 win against West Ham. Yet Henderson kept his concentration well enough so that he didn’t let his team down when he was called into action.

Henderson’s smart stop to deny Manuel Lanzini 13 minutes from time was crucial to the Blades maintaining their narrow lead. Aside from the key save, Henderson was quick off his line when he needed to be and also decisive enough in the air to thwart the Hammers’ direct style.

Performances like this are why Henderson knows few equals in the league at his position:

They are also why the Blades continue to punch above their weight.

Defender: Mason Holgate, Everton

Everton have been close to rock-solid defensively during the early days of the Ancelotti era. The Toffees have conceded just three times in four league matches, with Mason Holgate’s performances a big reason why.

Holgate was superb against the Seagulls. He closed down shooting chances quickly and blocked more than a few efforts inside the box.

The 23-year-old was also comfortable on the ball. He chose his passes well and rarely wasted a chance to get his team started going forward.

Holgate is offering the kind of steady, mistake-free play at the back Everton lacked for too long under Silva.

Defender: Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool

Van Dijk’s best performances are usually defined by crunching, attack-ending tackles and powerful headers. Yet the Dutchman’s enduring quality comes from how much he contributes to both phases of the game.

He’s a formidable presence at the back, but Van Dijk is also a key part of Liverpool’s possession play. His technique and eye for a pass help the Reds work the ball through the lines quickly and waste little time supplying their lethal front three with chances.

Van Dijk’s value as a ball-playing center-back not afraid to get forward was obvious against Spurs:

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There isn’t another defender in the European game with the complete skill set to match Liverpool’s talisman.

Defender: Reece James, Chelsea

Frank Lampard hasn’t been afraid to let youth lead the way for Chelsea. Abraham, Mason Mount and others have benefited from the brave approach.

Now Reece James is the latest youngster who is repaying his manager’s faith. The 20-year-old tore the Clarets apart with his pace and power.

James combined his athleticism with some classy distribution. His pinpoint deliveries caused havoc among Burnley’s back four and led to an assist for Abraham:

This was the performance of a burgeoning talent who should become a mainstay in Lampard’s youth revolution.

Midfielder: Juan Mata, Manchester United

Yes, Juan Mata still plies his trade in the Premier League. You could be forgiven for thinking otherwise given how little he’s featured for United recently.

Despite the lack of minutes, Mata remains a cultured playmaker who can unlock any defense. The Spaniard had no trouble finding the gaps in a leaky Norwich back line.

His neat through passes, subtle runs and artful touches helped the Red Devils run riot at Old Trafford. Mata’s craft yielded goals for Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.

https://twitter.com/StatmanDave/status/1216043696245833729

Those contributions offered a reminder Mata is still one of the most gifted technicians in the United squad. He’s the answer to this team’s lack of creativity.

Midfielder: Georginio Wijnaldum, Liverpool

Wijnaldum is the best-kept secret in the Liverpool success story. He’s rarely talked about, but the Dutchman is every bit as important as Van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold or Mohamed Salah.

The importance of Wijnaldum won’t stay secret much longer. Not after the way he bossed Spurs during a colossal performance worthy of any midfield general in Premier League history.

Wijnaldum timed his tackles superbly and won the ball cleanly. He rarely wasted possession, choosing the right option and always offering teammates an easy target.

By the time the final whistle sounded, Wijnaldum had done more than any other Liverpool player to keep Spurs quiet:

https://twitter.com/StatmanDave/status/1216080306903580673

Wijnaldum has quietly become the talisman in the engine room for the would-be champions.

Midfielder: John Fleck, Sheffield United

Like Wijnaldum, members of the Blades’ midfield usually toil in anonymity. Yet John Fleck won’t stay unknown for long if he continues to pull the creative strings so well.

Fleck proved the difference against West Ham when his inch-perfect ball released Oli McBurnie to net the winner. It was the signature moment of an active night’s work for the Blades’ underrated pass-master:

Scoring four goals and providing a pair of assists proves Fleck can hang at this level. It’s why his team is defying the odds.

Forward: Richarlison, Everton

Richarlison is the kind of talent who surely helped convince Ancelotti he could bring trophies back to Everton. The Brazilian’s versatility and application make him a dream for a tactically fluid coach.

Ancelotti has so far trusted Richarlison as a roaming striker in a free role across the final third. The ploy has worked because the Toffees’ No. 7 is still pressing, tackling and harassing opposition defenders more than most.

Richarlison helps Everton play higher up the pitch. His flair and vision ensure the Toffees have a cutting edge once they win the ball.

End product was supplied in brilliant fashion against Brighton:

https://twitter.com/goal/status/1216124626855530496

With two goals in the last two league games, Richarlison is becoming the fulcrum of the more dynamic attack Ancelotti is slowly building.

Forward: Roberto Firmino, Liverpool

He doesn’t etch his name onto scoresheets as often as fellow forwards Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah. Yet Roberto Firmino does have a happy knack for scoring clutch goals.

The Brazilian made the difference against Spurs, just as he did when Liverpool won the FIFA Club World Cup in December. Firmino is a success thanks to his speed of thought, quick feet and flawless technique.

All of those qualities were on show in the way he took his goal after 37 minutes this weekend. The Reds’ No. 9 spent the rest of the game doing what he does best, namely linking play superbly, leading the press and creating chances for those around him.

There isn’t another center-forward as selfless as Firmino. His sacrifices are the bedrock of Liverpool’s potency going forward.

Forward: Tammy Abraham, Chelsea

Before this season Abraham had showcased his potential at youth levels and during loan spells. What he hadn’t done was prove he could translate his raw potential into consistency on the big stage.

Consistency has been the watchword for Abraham’s first top-flight season. Goals haven’t been hard to come by for Chelsea’s No. 9, who added to his impressive tally with a fine header against Burnley.

Abraham is rarely caught on his heels when the ball is delivered into the box. His instincts and timing are serving him well, and his quality as a finisher is improving with each game.

Forward: Danny Ings, Southampton

Abraham’s form has been a mild surprise, but Danny Ings’ outstanding run has been downright shocking. The 27-year-old has always had talent, but he’s rarely been this prolific throughout his career.

Ings’ winner away to Leicester on Saturday was his 14th league goal of the campaign. The number represents a remarkable turnaround for a player who endured serious injury during an ill-fated spell with Liverpool:

Swapping life at Anfield for a Southampton shirt has been the making of Ings’ Premier League career. He’s now as effective as any top No. 9 in the division.