Several stars stood out in the latest round of Premier League fixtures despite the poor conditions caused by storm Darragh across the country.
Liverpool’s Merseyside derby clash with Everton was postponed but every other match went ahead, with Chelsea winning a seven-goal thriller against rivals Tottenham and Nottingham Forest stealing a shock 3-2 win over Manchester United.
Manchester City’s slump continued with a 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace while Arsenal were held in a 1-1 stalemate with Fulham.
As always, Flashscore has looked at the Premier League’s best performers over the weekend.
Goalkeeper
Kepa Arrizabalaga (Bournemouth) 7.1
There were few standout goalkeeping performances over the weekend, with Bournemouth’s Kepa Arrizabalaga picking up the highest rating at 7.1.
The Spaniard made four saves as the Cherries sealed a dramatic late 2-1 win over relegation strugglers Ipswich.
Defence
Ilya Zabarnyi (Bournemouth) 8.3
Another top performer in Bournemouth’s win was defender Ilya Zabarnyi, who made an exceptional six clearances, six tackles and four blocks.
The Ukrainian also contributed going forward with one key pass as the Cherries continued their impressive run of form – with Zabarnyi one of several young stars catching the eye under manager Andoni Iraola
Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace) 7.8
Maxence Lacroix was a key performer in Crystal Palace’s 2-2 draw against 10-man Manchester City, with the defender getting on the scoresheet after heading home from a set-piece.
Lacroix didn’t just contribute a goal, he excelled defensively and was one of the key components in keeping Pep Guardiola’s side at bay.
The defender registered nine clearances and two tackles as Palace battled to a deserved point.
Ian Maatsen (Aston Villa) 7.9
Aston Villa defender Ian Maatsen impressed during the Villains’ 1-0 win over Southampton.
The Dutchman made a healthy contribution defensively with five tackles and two interceptions while also providing a threat going forward after registering one key pass during his hour on the pitch.
Maatsen was replaced by Lucas Digne after 60 minutes having made a solid contribution towards Villa’s much-needed victory.
Midfield
Jacob Murphy (Newcastle) 8.0
Jacob Murphy played a starring role for Newcastle over the weekend despite the Magpies suffering a 4-2 loss away at Brentford.
The winger assisted both goals while also making an additional key pass, although it ultimately wasn’t enough to seal victory against an impressive Brentford team.
Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest) 8.2
Another excellent performer over the weekend was Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White.
The midfielder registered a goal and an assist in his side’s 3-2 win against Manchester United, first delivering an excellent corner for Nikola Milenkovic to head home before sealing all three points in style with a low drive from distance.
Gibbs-White’s showing earned him an 8.2 Flashscore rating, the highest of any player at Old Trafford on Saturday evening.
Matheus Nunes (Manchester City) 8.0
Manchester City’s Matheus Nunes offered a major creative threat during their draw with Crystal Palace, picking up an assist while also providing four key passes and completing three dribbles.
The midfielder was a bright spark on another disappointing afternoon for City, who now have one win in their last nine games in all competitions – a run of form rarely seen under manager Guardiola.
Kevin Schade (Brentford) 8.1
Kevin Schade was only on the pitch for 17 minutes during Brentford’s win over Newcastle, but the German still managed to get on the scoresheet.
The winger was played through late in the game and wrapped up all three points for his side with a lovely chipped finish over Nick Pope.
Schade now has four goals in his last three games and is becoming an important component of Brentford’s exciting attack.
Forwards
Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford) 8.2
Another excellent performer for Brentford was the ever-reliable Bryan Mbeumo, who picked up a goal and an assist against Newcastle.
Mbeumo set up Schade’s previously mentioned chip and initially opened the scoring early in the match after driving into the box and whipping a lovely effort into the top corner.
The forward now has nine Premier League goals this season and is establishing himself as one of the division’s leading attackers.
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham) 8.2
Jarrod Bowen put in a dominant performance during West Ham’s vital 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Wolves, with the forward netting a winning goal that could well have saved manager Julen Lopetegui’s job.
The Englishman dribbled past two players before curling an excellent strike into the bottom corner – while also setting up the Hammers’ opener, scored by Tomas Soucek.
Bowen paid tribute to teammate Michail Antonio after netting the winner, with the forward seriously injured in a road traffic incident just days before the match.
Cole Palmer (Chelsea) 9.3
Last weekend’s standout performer by some distance was Chelsea forward Cole Palmer, who shone in their 4-3 win against rivals Spurs.
Palmer converted two penalties to seal all three points for the Blues, with his audacious Panenka catching the eye in a moment fans will likely remember for years to come.
The forward earned a 9.3 rating – the highest of anyone over the weekend – and is therefore our Player of the Week.
