Adam Lallana rescued a 1-1 draw for unbeaten Premier League leaders Liverpool at Manchester United.

Manchester City comfortably won 2-0 at Crystal Palace on Saturday, while Spurs saved a late 1-1 draw against winless Watford.

Aston Villa grabbed a dramatic 2-1 win at home to Brighton, with Leicester beating Burnley by the same scoreline.

Everton saw off West Ham 2-0, with Wolves and Southampton drawing 1-1 and Bournemouth and Norwich playing out a 0-0 draw.

Here’s my team of the week – have a read and select your own below.

Goalkeeper – Ederson (Man City)

Ederson: The superb save from Christian Benteke by Ederson was matched only by the header and his second-half save from Wilfried Zaha wasn’t bad either.

All three men played their part in another array of magnificent contests in the Premier League. However this was the save of the weekend for me.

How Ederson managed to push Benteke’s header on to the bar I will never know. The power of the contact and the speed of the ball made the save even more spectacular.

Ederson’s intervention came at a pivotal time in the match and keeps City still within touching distance of Liverpool.

Did you know? As well as making two great saves, Ederson also made more passes (24) than all but five of Crystal Palace’s players yesterday, with only Luka Milivojevic (89.5%) having a higher pass completion rate among the home players than the Brazilian keeper (87.5%).

Defenders – Craig Dawson (Watford), Fernandinho (Man City), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa)

Dawson: This was a game that Watford deserved to win and where VAR was more of a hindrance than a help.

Much was made of the goal by Dele Alli – the finish was excellent but the handball that preceded it was definitive for me and the goal should not have stood. However Spurs are in desperate need of a bit of luck and so is Alli.

Watford on the other hand are showing definite signs of recovery. Craig Dawson was magnificent at the back for them, as was Christian Kabasele.

Did you know? Dawson (3) made more blocks than any other player during Watford’s match with Tottenham.

Fernandinho: When I saw the Manchester City team sheet shortly before kick-off and noticed that they had no recognised centre-half in their back four I thought Guardiola’s at it again. Here is a coach who is fearless.

He doesn’t care about convention or coaching manuals, he simply looks at his players and plays to their strengths.

How fortunate to have Fernandinho in your ranks when your best centre-backs are injured or those recognised defenders just don’t have the composure to cope with the pressure or have the nerve. The game is nothing if not about courage.

Did you know? Fernandinho (4) made more clearances than any other City player against Palace, with only three other players for the reigning champions having more touches of the ball than the Brazilian (96).

Mings: The banner of Tyrone Mings held up by Villa fans as the England international walked on to the pitch at Villa Park said it all really.

Not only has this player come of age as a Premier League player but having made an impressive international debut against Bulgaria in midweek, Mings conducted himself post-match with Henry Kissinger-like diplomatic skills having endured the most vile racist abuse.

His performance against Brighton wasn’t bad either. Read more about this issue in the Crooks of the Matter below.

Did you know? Mings (5) made more clearances and regained possession more often (12) than any other Aston Villa player against Brighton, while only Jack Grealish (63) attempted more passes than the England international (58).

Midfielders – Andre Gomes (Everton), Youri Tielemans (Leicester), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), David Silva (Man City)

Gomes: If ever Everton needed a victory then this was it, if only to shut up those Moaning Minnies who are starting to question Marco’s Silva’s ability to manage the club.

This was an excellent performance by Everton against an in-form West Ham and the catalyst for this performance was Andre Gomes.

The Portugal international has been badly missed by Everton because of injury but if he can remain fit and Theo Walcott stays focussed then anything is possible at Goodison. It is still a great place to play football.

Did you know? Gomes made more passes (46) and more passes in the opposition’s half (32) than any other player in the Everton v West Ham match.

Tielemans: Leicester City are third in the table and were even second after their controversial win over Burnley.

I must say I didn’t see the clip on the heels of Chris Woods on Jonny Evans but VAR did.

Gone are the days when a referee who didn’t see an incident can’t give it.

However what was conspicuous on the day was the performance of Youri Tielemans. The Belgium international was outstanding and took his goal brilliantly.

Did you know? Since his Premier League debut, only Jamie Vardy (17) has scored more goals for Leicester than Tielemans (5), while no Foxes player has assisted more in the competition (5).

Grealish: This was a smashing game of football not least because Graham Potter’s Brighton team made it so.

Had it not been for Aaron Mooy’s sending-off the outcome of this match might have been very different.

It took a special performance from Jack Grealish to turn this game from defeat to victory – England manager Gareth Southgate watched this match and must have been impressed.

I said the last time I selected the Villa captain for my team of the week that he was knocking on the international door. Now he’s kicking it down.

Did you know? Grealish has scored in back-to-back Premier League games, this after having scored just once in his first 41 appearances in the competition.

Silva: I have seen performances from Yaya Toure and Kevin de Bruyne that have thrilled me but there is something about a David Silva game that makes you feel as though you are watching a true artist.

Everything he does seems so beautiful it’s almost like watching a ballerina. He even tackles elegantly.

The former Spain international was superb against a Crystal Palace team who tried desperately to lay a glove on City but alas failed. As for Silva he really should be performing at the Bolshoi theatre.

Forwards – Raheem Sterling (Man City), Marcus Rashford (Man Utd), Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea)

Sterling: Manchester City’s away strip made them look like a team dressed for the Paris catwalk. Unfortunately for Crystal Palace, City didn’t play like it.

I can’t remember a game where Raheem Sterling made such an impression without scoring. If ever anyone needed reminding just how much Sterling’s game has progressed under the watchful eye on Pep Guardiola then this was it.

The way he chased back 40 yards and dispossessed Wilfried Zaha with the most exquisite slide tackle prior to setting up City’s next attack was sensational. Sterling is creeping ever closer to taking Cristiano Ronaldo’s mantle.

A special performance in a Champions League win might do it.

Did you know? Sterling has amassed 13 goals and seven assists in just 16 appearances for Manchester City and England combined in 2019-20.

Rashford: Make no mistake, this was one hell of a performance by Manchester United.

I thought Liverpool would trounce United but that couldn’t have been further from the truth.

The reason United looked so impressive was simply due to Marcus Rashford upfront and Harry Maguire at the back. The England international looked red hot in midweek against Bulgaria and that form has clearly infiltrated his game at Manchester United.

Liverpool couldn’t handle the youngster. Fortunately for Liverpool, Rashford ran out of steam.

Did you know? Rashford has scored three of Manchester United’s last four Premier League goals against Liverpool. Leicester are the only team he has scored more often against (four).

Hudson-Odoi: I don’t know what Frank Lampard is serving these youngsters for breakfast at Stamford Bridge but it certainly seems to be working.

The latest protege to find himself back in the limelight is Callum Hudson-Odoi. I selected Hudson-Odoi in my team last season before he got injured but against Newcastle he looked back to his best.

Chelsea are not the force they have been in the past but with Hudson-Odoi, Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori and Kurt Zouma – plus a little bit of luck and a fair wind – they could be winning trophies in two years.

Did you know? Hudson-Odoi became the first teenager to create five or more chances in a Premier League game for Chelsea since Romelu Lukaku against Blackburn in May 2012.

Now it’s your turn

You’ve seen my selections this season. But who would you go for?

Pick your Team of the Week

Pick your XI from our list and share with your friends.

Select formationConfirm team

Crooks of the Matter

Just when we thought that normal service had resumed after a tumultuous week in Sofia, another incendiary device went off in an FA Cup fixture in Haringey. We were all left reeling by the events that took place during England’s match against Bulgaria but nothing prepared us for the manager of Haringey Borough taking his players off the pitch after it was alleged Yeovil fans racially abused his players during their fourth qualifying round tie.

Five months ago half the nation – many of whom were now insisting that black players walk off the pitch amidst racist abuse – did not know that a Uefa three-point protocol existed and the other half did not care. They seem to have got their wish.

This most recent event in Haringey has put the Football Association in an almost impossible position. The FA is in the midst of an enquiry regarding Bernardo Silva’s social media post which may result in a mandatory ban. A submission to Uefa has already been sent explaining why the FA instigated the protocol in Bulgaria, but, most embarrassing of all, the prospect of having to unravel this debacle in Haringey resulting in players walking off in their own competition because of alleged racism is a devastating blow.

Who would have thought that after England’s exemplary performance both on and off the pitch in Sofia on Tuesday night that it would be the events in their own competition that would eventually bite the Football Association in the leg?

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