Manchester City are represented in the latest Premier League team of the week that has been selected by BBC pundit Garth Crooks.
Actually Garth is now down as a ‘Football Analyst’ these days, a posh term for a pundit then!
The performance by Fabian Delph in the three one victory over Hull City at the weekend at the Etihad Stadium was enough to earn them a place in the side alongside the other, in the opinion of the former Spurs striker anyway, most impressive performers in the topflight over the latest weekend.
I think we’ll already know ourselves, and not just based on the latest performance, why Crooks, we’ll also not argue with it, selected Delph as part of his team but explaining his choice he told the BBC.
‘I saw Fabian Delph play against Chelsea in midweek and, considering it was his first start of the season, he looked in great shape and played like it. All credit to him. Delph has been plagued with injuries and had such little first-team game time, yet still has the presence of mind and the right attitude to keep himself in such tip-top condition. He ran out of steam at Stamford Bridge, but not so against Hull. For Delph to retain the level of fitness at this stage of the season, and go on to have such an impact on Manchester City’s victory over Hull, is a credit to his professionalism. There will be those who will argue that professional players should keep themselves in the best shape ever – after all, it’s their job. Those cynics have no idea of the mental discipline required to keep yourself at the top of your game in mind and health when you have no fixture to look forward to. At the end of the game against Hull you could see how delighted Manchester City’s backroom staff were for him. They have also played a part in the recovery. Hopefully Delph can now start to think of playing for his country again. Heaven knows we could do with him.’
It’s always good to see the club represented in this way, and well played to Delph for his recognition, but the most important thing about the weekend was of course the points.
Full Team:
Simon Mignolet (Liverpool), Matthew Lowton (Burnley), James Collins (West Ham United), David Luiz (Chelsea), Marcos Alonso (Chelsea), Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool), Fabian Delph (Manchester City), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Manchester United), Eden Hazard (Chelsea).
