Troy Deeney has named his Premier League team of the week for the latest round of matches, selecting a full XI that mixes new arrivals with players he believes are finally getting a proper run in their sides. As he does after every round of fixtures this season, the BBC football pundit also picked a manager of the week, choosing Brentford’s Keith Andrews after his side’s 3-0 win over Chelsea.
In goal, Deeney went for Aston Villa’s Zion Suzuki, who conceded twice against Spurs. Deeney put those goals down to the stage of the game at which, in his view, Villa decided they were not going to try any more, so he saw no pressure on the goalkeeper for them. What impressed him was how Suzuki commanded his area and took the ball, and how quickly he has taken to the Premier League, with Deeney seeing no real change at the club after Emiliano Martinez’s departure.
The defence opens with Jay Dasilva of Coventry, who scored his club’s first Premier League goal in 25 years and made it the winning goal — enough, in Deeney’s view, to go in at right-back on that alone. Luka Vuskovic of Brighton also made the cut after Deeney watched him against Arsenal, describing a dominant defender who is very good on the ball and who presses aggressively, stepping into midfield to win possession back while staying calm. Jeremy Jacquet of Liverpool was, in Deeney’s words, the best player on the pitch by a mile against Bournemouth: young, fast and aggressive, but also really calm in possession.
Lewis Hall of Newcastle completed the back line. Deeney highlighted his goals and assists and his continued improvement, and questioned why Manchester United did not spend the money to sign him after their performance against Fulham. In midfield, Antoine Semenyo — listed in Deeney’s side as a Manchester City player — was chosen after two goals and an assist, with Deeney sensing he is playing a little more carefree under manager Enzo Maresca, a small detail he contrasted with the approach of predecessor Pep Guardiola, who he said tries to tell you what to do with every single action.
Joe Willock of Newcastle also features. Deeney believes he is really coming out of his shell this season, having been used sparingly by previous boss Eddie Howe, and notes that injuries elsewhere have left him the main man in midfield again, combining high energy and goals with the ability to take people on and drag his team 50 yards up the pitch. Chema Andres of Brighton earned his place after a game in which Deeney felt Brighton suffocated Arsenal in midfield — a display that had him considering Fabian Hurzeler for the manager’s spot. Andres, he said, must have won the ball back off Declan Rice, Bruno Guimaraes and Martin Odegaard at least 15 times, was excellent in his positioning and possession, and scored a goal.
Aston Villa’s Johan Manzambi is rewarded for a first start in which he scored one and set up another. Deeney said it is clear why Villa paid the money they did for him, pointing to how unreal he was for Freiburg last season and noting he had had little time because of injury before this performance. Up front, Brian Brobbey of Sunderland gets in after a hat-trick against Manchester City, which Deeney said earns him a lot of credit even though his side lost — and which leaves him a player who will not want the international break to arrive given how well he has been doing for Sunderland. Charalampos Kostoulas of Brighton completes the XI after a goal, an assist and excellent link-up play; Deeney called him physically very good and a real nuisance against Arsenal, and noted that the injury to Georginio Rutter and Danny Welbeck’s departure have given the Greek teenager the freedom to feel comfortable in Brighton’s starting line-up.
Andrews takes the manager’s role despite Deeney admitting he could not get a single Brentford player into his team, describing their 3-0 win over Chelsea as an unbelievable performance and Andrews’ start in charge as unbelievable, with the win keeping the momentum going.