PREMIER LEAGUE AWARDS: LAST-GASP LIVERPOOL AND FANTASTIC FODEN
Our weekly Premier League awards honour the best – and worst – of the football action from the weekend.
Moment of the Week
If Liverpool do go on to win the Premier League title this season, then this weekend’s win at Nottingham Forest will be viewed as a significant moment.
The City Ground had not been a happy hunting ground for Liverpool who had failed to win on their last 13 visits to the venue and it seemed set to be another day of disappointment as the game ticked into stoppage time still goalless.
With a little help from a controversial call from referee Paul Tierney over a drop ball in the build-up, the Reds rescued three points with the last attack of the game. Alexis Mac Allister was the coolest man inside the stadium as he checked back inside and hoisted a cross into the penalty box, where Darwin Nunez was on hand to flick a fine header into the bottom corner for a 99th-minute winner.
Forest fumed at the official’s role in the last-gasp grab, as Liverpool celebrated wildly with the travelling contingent. The win keeps Liverpool top of the pile, ahead of the visit of title rivals Manchester City to Anfield next weekend.
Popcorn at the ready.
Player of the Week
Phil Foden just loves playing in the Manchester Derby.
The Stockport-born midfielder was at his brilliant best as the Citizens came from behind to earn a 3-1 win over Manchester United at the Etihad.
Foden’s fabulous goal brought the teams level early in the second half, before the 23-year-old netted his 18th of the season in all competitions to fire Manchester City ahead. He’s now scored six goals in his last four appearances in the Manchester Derby and in front of the watching Gareth Southgate showed why he must be handed a prominent role with England this summer.
There are few players, anywhere in Europe, capable of such match-winning moments. City and England are blessed to have him.
Goal of the Week
A weekend of great goals in the Premier League, but perhaps none better than this thumper from Marcus Rashford in the Manchester Derby.
Erik ten Hag’s team entered the Etihad as underdogs, but took an early lead as the red side of the city delivered a bolt from the blue.
A deserved Goal of the Week winner that left Ederson with no chance.
Honourable mentions aplenty, including the aforementioned Foden and this Yoanne Wissa goal, which was the highlight of an entertaining 2-2 draw between west London neighbours Brentford and Chelsea.
Wissa’s wonderful acrobatic effort put the Bees 2-1 ahead in the game, as the DR Congo international unleashed an audacious effort past Djordje Petrovic.
Elsewhere, a nod must go to this Tomas Soucek strike, as the Czech’s last-minute moment of magic earned West Ham a win at Everton.
The aesthetic of that angle.
Miss of the Week
Sorry, what!?
Erling Haaland’s horror miss showed the Manchester City forward is indeed, much to the surprise of some, human. The sort of open-net nightmare that used to feature on Christmas DVD re-runs of own goals and gaffes.
Save of the Week
A Save of the Season contender from Bournemouth’s Neto, who got a hand to Jacob Bruun Larsen’s fierce free-kick for Burnley.
The Brazilian beat away the set-pice at Turf Moor, preventing a goal by the narrowest of margins.
Stat of the Week
Fergie Moysey time.
