By Sam McGuire
There were some big performances in must-win games for a number of teams. Arsenal, for example, guaranteed second place in the Premier League with a hard-fought win over Newcastle United. Everton picked up three points in their final ever game at Goodison Park, while Chelsea, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest have all taken it to the final game in their quest for a Champions League finish.
So, who made the XI and why?
Goalkeeper: David Raya
Raya was the player of the match in Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Newcastle United. Declan Rice was the match-winner but the shot-stopper was the main man for the Gunners at the Emirates, making five saves having faced efforts with an Expected Goals on Target total of 1.94. Without his exploits between the sticks, Mikel Arteta’s side lose that game having struggled to contain a Newcastle team chasing a second placed finish.
Right-Back: Matty Cash
The Aston Villa full-back put in a solid showing in the 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Villa Park. Cash completed 87% of his passes and 100% of his attempted dribbles. He won 50% of his tackles, made two clearances and recovered the ball on seven occasions. The 27-year-old also won 87% of his ground duels and 100% of his aerial duels, playing his part in Unai Emery’s side keeping a clean sheet.
Centre-Back: Ezri Konsa
Konsa scored for Villa in their win over Spurs. He was also outrageously proficient in possession, completing 98% of the passes he attempted, misplacing just two passes throughout the entire game. He also created a chance for the Villans, won half of his tackles and made five ball recoveries. The 27-year-old won four of the six duels he was involved in, capping off a fine showing on his way to a FotMob rating of 8.7.
Centre-Back: Nikola Milenković
Milenković had the fewest number of touches of any player to play 90 minutes in Nottingham Forest’s 2-1 win over West Ham, registering just 37 touches. The powerhouse centre-back scored what turned out to be the winner. He attempted four tackles, made seven clearances and won 60% of his duels as Nuno Espírito Santo’s side kept their Champions League hopes alive.
Left-Back: Marc Cucurella
The Spain full-back scored the winner against Manchester United as Chelsea clung onto the final Champions League place. The 26-year-old also completed 70% of his attempted passes, won 100% of his tackles, made three interceptions and was dribbled past just once. Cucurella also won five of his eight ground duels and two of his four aerial duels as Enzo Maresca’s side managed to repel the Europa League finalists. His showing earned him a FotMob rating of 8.5.
Midfield: Bernardo Silva
It may have been Kevin De Bruyne’s final game for Manchester City at the Etihad but it was his teammate, Bernardo Silva, who stole the show for Pep Guardiola’s side. The versatile Portuguese attacker scored in a 3-1 win over Bournemouth. He created one chance, won 80% of his duels and was fouled three times, the most of any player in this match. He kept things ticking over, completing 90% of his passes, scored a decisive goal and was robust without the ball. It was a Silva showing in a nutshell.
Midfield: Harvey Elliott
Elliott was given the opportunity to impress for the Premier League champions and he did just that. Liverpool lost 3-2 to Brighton but the versatile attacker scored the opener and assisted Dominik Szoboszlai for the second. He created four chances at the Amex, completed 88% of his passes and attempted two dribbles on his way to an 8.6 rating.
Midfield: Brajan Gruda
Gruda was a menace for Brighton as they claimed a 3-2 win over champions Liverpool on Monday night. The German playmaker carved out the most chances in the game (five), claimed an assist, had a total of four shots, completed 75% of his attempted dribbles and won 80% of his ground duels. With the ball, dangerous, without it, dominant. He certainly caught the eye for the Seagulls.
Midfield: Iliman Ndiaye
Ndiaye was the difference-maker and match-winner for Everton in their final game at Goodison Park. The former Sheffield United attacker scored twice in the victory over Southampton. The 25-year-old completed 94% of his passes, 100% of his dribbles, and won 80% of his ground duels in what was a memorable performance in a historic game for the Toffees.
Attack: Romain Esse
Oliver Glasner changed things up following Crystal Palace’s FA Cup triumph on Saturday. The Eagles rested a few players and Esse was given the nod in the XI ahead of Eberechi Eze. The 20-year-old impressed. He claimed an assist in the 4-2 win over Wolves in a game he carved out two chances and won the most duels (11). He also won four of his six tackles in what was a dominant showing out of possession by the attacking midfielder.
Attack: Eddie Nketiah
Nketiah was another to benefit from Glasner looking to rotate his team. The former Arsenal man started ahead of Jean-Philippe Mateta and responded with two goals in the victory against Wolves. Remarkably, he had just two shots during the game. The 25-year-old finished with a 100% pass success rate, attempted eight dribbles and won 100% of his tackles. It was a really positive showing from the centre-forward.
(Images from IMAGO)
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