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The Premier League motion final weekend performed second fiddle to the enthralling drama within the FA Cup however that did not cease a good quantity of incident all the identical.
Luton and Nottingham Forest shared the spoils of their relegation six-pointer at Kenilworth Highway on Saturday, whereas Burnley grabbed a powerful victory over a struggling Brentford aspect.
The large shock of the weekend, although, got here at Craven Cottage the place Ange Postecoglou’s males put in a dismal efficiency and have been turned over by Fulham 3-0.
Every week after blitzing Aston Villa, Spurs appeared a shadow of themselves in a outcome that threatened to do severe injury to their prime 4 hopes. Fortunately for them, Villa may solely draw towards West Ham. And that got here after the Hammers noticed three objectives disallowed.
So, which gamers stood out? Who rises to the highest of the POWER RANKINGS and who drops out?
Tottenham’s top-four hopes have been dealt an enormous blow after the beautiful 3-0 loss to Fulham
Luke Berry rescued a degree for Luton late on in a relegation six-pointer towards Nottingham Forest
10. Arijanet Muric (new entry)
Vincent Kompany lastly dropped summer time signing James Trafford and reinstated Arijanet Muric to the place he held final time period. Sadly for Trafford, Muric put in a stellar show.
The 25-year-old made 5 saves as Burnley claimed a 2-1 victory towards the Bees at Turf Moor, together with a one-on-one to disclaim Yoane Wissa. He additionally spared the blushes of Dara O’Shea with a terrific goalline clearance. It was the aspect’s first win since December and moved them to inside eight factors of Forest in seventeenth.
Surviving the drop nonetheless seems to be an extended shot however the weekend outcome made it two video games with no defeat – one thing Burnley had not managed to do all season.
Kompany tried to downplay the magnitude of the decision to drop Trafford to the bench and maintained that he has the luxurious of two good gamers within the place. Nevertheless, after that efficiency it might be a shocking choice to drop Muric once more.
Arijanet Muric made 5 saves in his first look of the season, which got here towards Brentford on the weekend
9. Moussa Diaby (new entry)
The previous Bayer Leverkusen winger has been overshadowed by one other ex-attacker of the German membership at Villa Park this season. However on Sunday he confirmed the standard he nonetheless brings to the group.
Trailing 1-0 on the break after a poor first-half, Unai Emery turned to the Frenchman and was rewarded with an help that earned a much-needed level.
Diaby was profitable with solely one in all two dribbles on the London Stadium and created just one large probability however his contribution was telling.
Add his 24 touches and 90 per cent passing accuracy and you’ve got a textbook substitutes efficiency that, regardless of its efficiency, was one way or the other outdone by two of his teammates.
Moussa Diaby has misplaced his place within the beginning XI this season however he has made an impression off the bench in latest weeks
8. Matty Money (new entry)
Like Diaby, Money was introduced on in the beginning of the second-half of Villa’s 1-1 draw with West Ham. The defender had misplaced his place within the beginning XI after a poor displaying within the 4-0 thumping by Spurs per week prior.
Money’s kind has been patchy in latest weeks, as Villa have discovered it laborious to search out consistency for the reason that flip of the yr.
Nevertheless, he made an prompt impression when taking the sector towards the Hammers and had a fairly beautiful block to disclaim James Ward-Prowse late on.
The Poland worldwide additionally gained two of his three floor duels, an extra duel within the air and was profitable with two of his three dribbles.
Matty Money’s (left) arrival within the second half was essential in Aston Villa’s enchancment after the break
7. Morgan Gibbs-White (new entry)
The previous Wolves teenager has been a uncommon ray of sunshine in an in any other case disappointing marketing campaign, which may but finish in relegation for Nottingham Forest.
Like a number of of his fellow England Beneath 21 internationals, the 24-year-old took the success of final summer time into this season and has been crucial participant for the east Midlands outfit.
On Saturday, towards Luton, Gibbs-White offered the help for Chris Wooden’s opener that actually ought to have seen Nuno Espirito-Santo’s aspect double the hole between themselves and the Hatters.
Forest will want the inventive midfielder to be at his best possible of their last 9 Premier League outings to keep away from the drop.
Morgan Gibbs-White laid on a inch-perfect cross for Chris Woods’ opening objective at Kenilworth Highway
6. Bernd Leno (new entry)
Leno has been a constant performer for Marco Silva’s aspect this season as they’ve impressively averted any relegation fears, whereas recording eye-catching victories towards a couple of of the massive sides.
The Cottagers can now add Spurs to their checklist of big-six scalps, following wins over Arsenal and Manchester United earlier within the marketing campaign. That’s largely all the way down to the contribution of the German.
Leno made 5 saves towards Postecoglou’s males and ended the afternoon with an xG prevented of 0.86.
He was a commanding presence for the house aspect and took his tally for clear sheets within the league this time period to eight – a determine solely bettered by Gunners stopper David Raya with 9.
Solely Arsenal stopper David Raya has extra clear sheets within the Premier League this season than Bernd Leno
5. Nicolo Zaniolo (new entry)
It is truthful to say that Zaniolo hasn’t pulled up any bushes since his mortgage signing from Turkish aspect Galatasaray final summer time.
But when Villa do handle to qualify for the Champions League subsequent season they’re going to look again on his sporadic but very important involvement. The Italian scored simply his second Premier League objective within the draw towards the Hammers.
His first got here within the ninety fifth minute of a conflict towards Sheffield United which rescued a degree towards the Blades in December. Like that effort, this late end salvaged a degree for Emery’s aspect in a match they have been comfortably second finest.
The 24-year-old popped up all around the last third when he got here on for the final half-an-hour and confirmed his capability with an achieved end previous Alphonse Areola.
Each of Nicolo Zaniolo’s Premier League objectives have ben late equalisers for Aston Villa
4. David Datro Fofana (new entry)
Neglect the miss from about 4 yards. Fofana’s uptick in kind has coincided with Burnley’s pair of encouraging outcomes. Final week, it was a shocking lengthy vary drive. This, he executed a deft little chip previous Mark Flekken.
The Ivorian additionally had one key go and created an enormous probability in the course of the essential win at Turf Moor.
It is probably not loads nevertheless it was mightily essential to Burnley and he may very well be simply that for the aspect who look destined to make an instantaneous return to the Championship.
Objectives in back-to-back Premier League video games or the primary time, his report within the division is now 4 in eight. That makes fairly good studying for a striker enjoying for the nineteenth finest group within the league.
David Datro Fofana missed an absolute sitter in the course of the first half of Burnley’s win towards Brentford
The 22-year-old bounced again within the second interval and completed off a terrific transfer for the house aspect
3. Timothy Castagne (new entry)
Castagne and the opposite members of Fulham’s strong defence ought to take among the plaudits for Bernd Leno’s clear sheet tally this season.
The previous Leicester Metropolis defender has featured in each Premier League sport for the Cottagers this season and he was in high-quality kind towards Spurs on Saturday.
Castagne shut down Brennan Johnson on Tottenham’s left flank and even managed to register an help for Sasa Lukic’s intelligent end.
The Belgian gained six of eight duels, had three interceptions and a 100 per cent dribble success charge (2).
Timothy Castagne gained six of his eight duels towards Tottenham and had three interceptions
2. Michail Antonio (new entry)
Simply when it appears as if West Ham have outgrown Michail Antonio, he pops up with a devastating efficiency. His intelligence off the ball, pace and energy make him a continuing pest for defenders.
His athleticism was on full show towards Villa as he pulled off an unorthodox diving header from all of a yard above the bottom.
On one other day the Jamaica worldwide would have walked away with a brace however his second objective was dominated out after the ball brushed his arm on the best way in.
Since he returned from a knee harm in February, David Moyes’s males have two wins and two attracts from 5 video games.
West Ham have two wins and two attracts within the league since Michail Antonio returned from harm
Brazilian striker Rodrigo Muniz took his tally to seven objectives in seven Premier League video games towards Spurs
The 22-year-old failed to attain in his first 10 league video games however has been a revelation for the reason that flip of the yr
1. Rodrigo Muniz (new entry)
From no objectives in 10 to seven in his final seven, Muniz is turning into the revelation of the second-half of the Premier League marketing campaign.
The 22-year-old Brazilian turned in his newest starring efficiency towards Spurs. His first objective got here after an excellent management and the second was an instance of textbook centre ahead opportunism.
Arguably essentially the most spectacular a part of his show was its effectivity. Two pictures on the right track, 18 touches and an xG of 1.41.
Fulham might lastly have discovered their Aleksandar Mitrovic alternative.
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