Premier League Awards: Title race twist, dazzling De Bruyne | OneFootball

Our weekly Premier League awards honour the best – and worst – of the football action from the weekend.

Moment of the Week

Is this the moment that took the title race out of Liverpool’s hands?

Manchester United ended Liverpool’s hopes of a quadruple last month in the FA Cup and might just have dented the Premier League hopes of their fiercest rivals this weekend.

Erik ten Hag’s team held the Merseysiders to a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford, a result that saw the Jurgen Klopp’s side miss the chance to move back to the top of the table.

After leading at the interval and dominating the first half, the momentum swung four minutes after the restart. Bruno Fernandes punished Jarell Quansah’s loose pass spectacularly, lifting a subdued Old Trafford atmosphere with an equaliser from 50 yards.

It’s advantage Arsenal, who top the table on goal difference after dropped points for Liverpool. This title race looks set to go down to the wire.

Player of the Week

Kevin De Bruyne celebrated a century of goals for Manchester City after scoring twice in the club’s 4-2 win over Crystal Palace.

The midfielder was magnificent in the win at Selhurst Park, combining brilliantly with Erling Haaland and the equally impressive Jack Grealish. De Bruyne, however, was responsible for the headline moments. Each of his goals were special he bent an equaliser into the top corner for his first, before arriving to smash home a second on his weaker left side.

In between he set up Haaland in a familiar combination and Guardiola was swift to salute the brilliant Belgian as one of City’s all-time greats.

“The numbers, presence, consistency have been amazing,” the Spaniard said at full-time.

“He is one of the best players in the history of Man City. The goals, assists, the lot. What can I say? The first goal is unbelievable and so is the assist for Erling [Haaland].”

Goal of the Week

De Bruyne’s delightful opener earns our Goal of the Week award, as the Manchester City star left Dean Henderson with no chance in the home goal. A moment of world-class quality from a world-class footballer.

An honourable mention for Kobbie Mainoo, however, who just keeps getting better and better in a Manchester United shirt. His first-ever Old Trafford goal was certainly one to remember, a stunning strike against the club’s biggest rivals.

Miss of the Week

Before this weekend, Chris Wood was (statistically) the second-best finisher in the Premier League this season. The New Zealand international had scored 11 goals from just 21 shots, with only Son Heung-min outperforming his xG (+4.96) by a greater margin.

Those numbers will have taken a serious dent after this miss, however, as Wood woefully blasted the ball against the woodwork when it seemed easier to score.

Save of the Week

Not for the first time this season, Andre Onana was forced to weather a storm in the Manchester United goal this weekend.

Liverpool fired 15 shots on goal in the first half alone on Sunday and ended the contest with 28 – a record for an away team at Old Trafford since the data was first recorded in 2003/04.

Onana made an excellent early stop from Dominik Szoboszlai, with a strong hand halting the Hungarian from opening the scoring inside four minutes. It proved crucial, as the Red Devils battled to a draw.

Stat of the Week

Mauricio Pochettino continues to call for patience with the Chelsea project.

This weekend’s draw with bottom-placed Sheffield United was a frustrating follow-up to their dramatic win over Manchester United in midweek, but this remains the most inexperienced team in the Premier League.

Tweet of the Week

Andy Gray creating his own player dialogue on co-comms = peak Premier League Nostalgia.

Donkey of the Week

You’re only ever one mistake away from zero status as a goalkeeper.

Arijanet Muric has been integral to Burnley’s recent upturn in performances and results, but the Kosovo international had a nightmare in the club’s crunch clash with Everton. After dawdling on the ball, he rushed a clearance straight into Dominic Calvert-Lewin, which rebounded in for the only goal of the game.

A huge goal for Everton, and a costly one for the Clarets.

Read – Tweets of the Week: Le Tiss Simulator, Fabrizio Romano and classic commentary

See more – Premier League Team of the Week – Matchday 32

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