Premier League Team of the Week: Matchweek 5

MF: Thiago (Liverpool)

Despite being out for the last two weeks after testing positive for Covid-19, Thiago showed no signs of fatigue in this Merseyside derby. In only his second start for Liverpool since his summer move from Bayern Munich, he put on a midfield masterclass. Making key passes all over the pitch throughout the entire game, controlling the course of play whenever he was on the ball and feeding wingers Mane and Salah whenever he could. What a signing!

MF: Ross Barkley (Aston Villa)

Ross Barkley has had a tough career in recent years. After moving to Chelsea from Everton he struggled to break into the first-team on a regular basis and was linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge all summer. He finally found himself at Aston Villa on loan and is now proving what a quality player he can be on his day. The midfielder scored the winner for Villa in the 91st minute against Leicester with a fantastic 25-yard strike. The win saw the Villans keep their 100% record in the Premier League.

MF: Juan Mata (Manchester United) 

At 32, Juan Mata is one of the oldest players within the Manchester United squad. However, despite his age, he still has the ability to perform at high levels when required. The Spaniard assisted Harry Maguire for United’s first goal of the game from a looping corner and was fantastic on the ball throughout. Mata’s pass for Marcus Rashford in the lead up to Bruno Fernandes’ match winning goal was a touch of class not many in the Premier League could produce.