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Premier League Team of the Week - Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez, Bukayo Saka

Sports Mole selects its Premier League team of the week for gameweek 20, including Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez and Bukayo Saka.

Premier League history was made in gameweek 20 as Manchester City became the ninth different team to end a day as league leaders courtesy of their 5-0 hammering of relegation-threatened West Bromwich Albion.

Pep Guardiola's side then held on to top spot when nearest challengers Manchester United fell to a shock home defeat at the hands of rock-bottom Sheffield United.

Third-placed Leicester City also dropped points in their draw with Everton, allowing champions Liverpool to close the gap on the top three by returning to winning ways at the expense of Tottenham Hotspur.

West Ham United are also flying high following their 3-2 triumph over Crystal Palace, while Leeds United and Arsenal were also victorious on the road.

Chelsea's Thomas Tuchel era began with a goalless draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Burnley won a topsy-turvy affair against Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Fulham ended goalless.

Here, Sports Mole selects its Premier League team of the week for gameweek 20.



PL TOTW GW20

For the second time this season, Burnley had Nick Pope to thank for getting something from a game against Aston Villa, with the keeper again in fine form to set up the foundations for his side's 3-2 win.

However, he narrowly misses out on a place in this week's team to Fulham shot-stopper Alphonse Areola, whose clean sheet gives him the edge. Areola made five saves to keep Brighton at bay, including a fine one late on to earn his side a point.

That save could have been worth even more had Fulham nicked a victory even later on, but they were denied that by Lewis Dunk's goalline clearance at the death.

There was plenty of competition for places at centre-back too, with Harry Maguire and Craig Dawson on the scoresheet and John Stones putting in another assured display for Man City.

Sheffield United's centre-backs also deserve mentions for their role in the stunning win at Old Trafford, and Phil Jagielka does make the cut having led the Blades' resistance.

Two outstanding performances at right-back mean that Joao Cancelo is forced over to the left in this XI, beating Cedric Soares and Kean Bryan to that spot.

Cancelo scored one and created another in Man City's rout of West Brom, a haul Trent Alexander-Arnold matched as Liverpool rounded off the gameweek with victory at Spurs.

The deeper midfield positions were also straightforward choices in this week's team, with Ilkay Gundogan and Tomas Soucek both getting on the scoresheet twice apiece.

Gundogan was arguably the standout performer out of many candidates for that mantle in Man City's win over West Brom, while Soucek was also a shoo-in, but there was plenty of competition in the middle of the park with Declan Rice, John Fleck and John Lundstram among those worthy of a mention.

The most competitive places in this week's XI came in the trio behind the striker, though, meaning that the likes of Raheem Sterling, Jack Grealish and Dwight McNeil miss out despite fine performances.

Bukayo Saka, Raphinha and Sadio Mane all helped themselves to a goal and an assist in their respective matches, though, with the latter also having a major say in Liverpool's other goal against Tottenham, and the decisive nature of their contributions is ultimately what earns them the nod above the numerous other candidates for the roles.

Man City's Riyad Mahrez leads the line having also registered a goal and an assist for Man City, beating Alexandre Lacazette, Chris Wood and Ollie Watkins to the centre-forward role.

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Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane celebrates scoring against Leeds on January 2, 2021
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Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City22155243142950
2Manchester UnitedMan Utd23136449301945
3Leicester CityLeicester23134639251443
4Liverpool23117544291540
5Chelsea23116638241439
6West Ham UnitedWest Ham2311663428639
7Everton2111463428637
8Tottenham HotspurSpurs22106636221436
9Aston Villa21112836241235
10Leeds UnitedLeeds22102103838032
11Arsenal2394102723431
12Southampton228592937-829
13Crystal Palace2385102739-1229
14Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2376102331-827
15Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2351082530-525
16Newcastle UnitedNewcastle2374122538-1325
17Burnley2265111429-1523
18Fulham2229111731-1415
19West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom2326151854-3612
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2332181537-2211

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