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 performances by Kevin de Bruyne and Sergio Aguero in the three one victory over Newcastle United 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 the duo as part of his team but explaining his choice he told the BBC.
De Bruyne:
‘This player hasn’t made my team of the week for a little while, and I was starting to think he was another who seemed to be suffering from that interminable Christmas schedule. I know we have the toughest league in the world, and all the best players want to make it here, but we must look after the talent. I shouldn’t have worried. Against Newcastle, De Bruyne was back to controlling matters in the middle of the park again. I have often wondered what sort of club Manchester City would be if Jose Mourinho was their manager. It was mooted at one stage. I wonder if the likes of De Bruyne would be there at all. Mourinho did, if you remember, sell the Belgian when they were together at Chelsea. What is even more interesting is to imagine Pep Guardiola managing Manchester United. Now there’s a thought. Imagine United playing the sort of expansive football their fans gorged on under Sir Matt Busby and Sir Alex Ferguson, only to be amplified under Guardiola. Football is nothing if you are not allowed to dream. I just think these two giants have the managers the wrong way round somehow. City – having Guardiola and De Bruyne – have made the right choice. They are definitely the winners.’
Aguero:
‘Regular readers will know how much I think of Sergio Aguero. He is a world-class striker, there is no doubt about that. You will also now how furious I am that the best striker in the Premier League, in my view, for the past five years has never won a major industry award – no Professional Footballers’ Association Player or Footballer of the Year Award. Against a stubborn but nevertheless inferior Newcastle, the Argentina international got his second hat-trick of the season with some deadly finishing. The Magpies are performing miracles on the pitch under Rafael Benitez but need reinforcements badly. Whether owner Mike Ashley decides to sell or keep Newcastle United will ultimately be his choice, but what he does have at the moment is a fantastic manager, a willing group of players and fanatical support. Are you telling me that is not worth investing in?’
It’s always good to see the club represented in this way, and well played to both for their recognition, but the most important thing about the weekend was of course the points.
Full Team:
Willy Caballero (Chelsea), Victor Moses (Chelsea), Harry Maguire (Leicester City), Nacho Monreal (Arsenal), Willian (Chelsea), Joe Allen (Stoke City), Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City).
