Rice leads Arsenal sextet in Premier League Team of the Week
After the 6-0 thrashing of West Ham on Sunday, Arsenal are the dominant side in the Premier League Team of the Week for gameweek 24. Also making the XI are players from Brentford, Manchester United, Fulham, Sheffield United and Liverpool.
Mark Flekken (Brentford) - 8.10
Brentford stopper Mark Flecken followed up last week’s record-breaking display against Manchester City with another strong performance, this time in a 2-0 victory over Wolves. The Dutchman made a total of five saves and two high claims as the Bees recorded their second win in four matches.
Diogo Dalot (Manchester United) - 8.34
Manchester United full-back Diogo Dalot registered his second league assist of the season at Villa Park on Sunday, his inch-perfect cross finding the head of Scott McTominay to seal all three points late on. The Portugal international also made two tackles, two interceptions, five clearances and two blocks on his way to a WhoScored rating of 8.34.
William Saliba (Arsenal) - 8.30
The first of six representatives in this week’s Arsenal-dominated XI is defender William Saliba, who headed the Gunners in front after 32 minutes at the London Stadium to open the east London floodgates. Along with netting his second league goal of the season, Saliba made an interception, three clearances, one key pass and five accurate long balls to return a WhoScored rating of 8.30.
Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal) - 8.24
Joining Saliba at the heart of defence is Arsenal teammate and centre-back partner Gabriel Magalhaes, who was also on the scoresheet against West Ham. The Brazilian defender headed home his fourth goal of the season having bagged a brace against Crystal Palace only a few weeks ago, while he also made two tackles and four clearances to land a WhoScored rating of 8.24.
Antonee Robinson (Fulham) - 8.28
Fulham left-back Antonee Robinson continues to excel on a personal level this season, and posted his second highest rated performance of the season in the Cottagers' 3-1 win over Bournemouth on Saturday. The USA international won a total of six aerial duels, while he also made three tackles, five interceptions, seven clearances, one key pass and one successful dribble to earn a WhoScored rating of 8.28.
Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) - 9.22
Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard put in his best performance of the Premier League season so far at the London Stadium on Sunday. The Norwegian provided two assists from seven key passes and completed one successful dribble, while he also maintained a pass success rate of 94.8%, his best return in a league match this term.
Vinicius Souza (Sheffield United) - 8.89
Brazilian midfielder Vinicius Souza starred as Sheffield United, perhaps surprisingly, took all three points at Kenilworth Road on Saturday. The Blades midfielder found the net late on to restore his side’s two-goal lead, that his first of the season, while he also made a total of six tackles, seven clearances and one successful dribble to earn a WhoScored rating of 8.89.
Alongside Ødegaard and Souza in midfield is England international Declan Rice, who came back to haunt former side West Ham on Sunday as he provided two assists before finding the net with a powerful strike on 65 minutes. In an exceptional display, Rice also made four key passes to return a WhoScored rating of 9.84, the highest by a midfielder in the Premier League this season.
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka continued his brilliant goalscoring form in the 6-0 rout at West Ham on Sunday, and his brace means the 22-year-old has now found the net in four of his last five league matches, and each of the last three. Saka was successful with two of his eight attempts on goal - the most he’s had in a league match this season - while he also made three key passes and completed two dribbles to land a WhoScored rating of 9.67.
Leandro Trossard (Arsenal) - 8.84
The sixth and final Arsenal representative in this week’s XI is Belgian forward Leandro Trossard, who scored for the second successive league game when he effortlessly found the top-right corner on the stroke of half time at the London Stadium. Trossard, who clinched all three points for the Gunners against Liverpool last weekend, also made two tackles and three successful dribbles to return a WhoScored rating of 8.84.
Colombian winger Luis Diaz bagged his second goal in three matches for Liverpool, as Jurgen Klopp’s side ran out 3-1 winners against Burnley on Saturday afternoon. As well as his goal, the 27-year-old made one key pass and completed two dribbles to take home a WhoScored rating of 8.14.
