Arsenal dominate XI after win over Man United: Premier League team of the week

Gunners maintained title push while Haaland moves on to 25 goals for the season after just 20 games

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  PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM OF THE WEEK (4-4-2) GK: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa): The World Cup winner has been in superb form since returning from his prolonged celebrations and made a couple of important saves, particularly on Moussa Djenepo, to help Villa to a 1-0 win at Southampton. AP

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  RB: Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United): A regular fixture in this team, the England full-back was again excellent for Newcastle in the goalless draw at Crystal Palace as Eddie Howe’s side secured a sixth successive clean sheet. PA

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  CB: Chris Richards (Crystal Palace): Signed from Bayern Munich last summer, the American defender has been impressive in recent weeks and marshalled his defence well in the face of Newcastle pressure to earn Palace a point. AFP

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  CB: Thiago Silva (Chelsea): Chelsea have spent around £400m on new signings since last summer and still their best player is a 38-year-old signed on a free transfer. That is both a slight on Silva’s underperforming teammates and recognition for just how good the Brazilian is, and he was top class again in the draw at Liverpool. Getty

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  LB: Oleksandr Zinchenko (Arsenal): Sometimes signings just make perfect sense, and that is exactly what Zincehnko is proving since joining Arsenal from Manchester City. The Ukrainian is deployed at left-back but plays like a midfielder and that flexibility is ideally suited to Mikel Arteta’s approach. Zinchenko played a role in both of Eddie Nketiah’s goals on Sunday as Arsenal beat Manchester United to maintain their push for the title. PA

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  CM: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City): The Belgian is so good that he was comfortably the best player in City’s 3-0 win over Wolves and it still felt he was playing in second gear. Set up Haaland’s opener with a perfect cross and pulled the strings throughout. AFP

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  CM: Martin Odegaard (Arsenal): The Arsenal captain is surely a frontrunner, at this stage, for Player of the Year accolades. Everything went through the Norwegian as Arsenal dominated United, and alongside Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka, forms the best midfield in the league at present. A top midfielder. Getty

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  RW: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal): Scored an absolute stunner to hand Arsenal a 2-1 lead against United and posed a threat down the right wing all match. The England international is an incredible talent, and ominously for the rest of the league, will only get better. EPA

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  LW: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham): Two struggling teams faced off at London Stadium, with pressure growing on both managers, and it was David Moyes who lived to fight another day thanks to Bowen’s double against Everton. Frank Lampard was subsequently sacked. AP

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  CF: Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal): Concerns over how Arsenal would compensate for the injured Garbiel Jesus have been swiftly allayed, with Nketiah immediately seizing his chance. The English forward scored twice, including a dramatic late winner, to earn the Gunners a deserved win over United. AFP

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  CF: Erling Haaland (Manchester City): It’s all getting a bit ridiculous now. The Norwegian striker scored his fourth hat-trick of the league season to take his goals tally to 25. He would have already won the last four Golden Boots – and he still has 18 games to go. AFP

The Premier League season reached its halfway stage this past weekend and there was another statement of intent from leaders Arsenal.

The Gunners are in pole position to win their first league title in 19 years, and after outclassing rivals Tottenham, followed that up with a deserved 3-2 win over in-form Manchester United on Sunday.

It was a victory which maintained their five-point lead over champions Manchester City, who had earlier cruised past Wolves 3-0 at Etihad Stadium, thanks to a fourth hat-trick from Erling Haaland. Arsenal can stretch their advantage to eight points as Mikel Arteta's side have played a game fewer than City.

If Sunday's thriller at Emirates Stadium was a reflection of two teams on the rise, then the drab goalless draw between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield offered an accurate representation of two struggling sides. A pair of clubs more accustomed to battling for trophies, this meeting was every bit as mediocre as their respective campaigns.

Also on Saturday, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest played out a 1-1 draw, Leicester City and Brighton shared four goals at the King Power Stadium, Aston Villa piled the misery on Southampton with a 1-0 win at St Mary's, and West Ham's 2-0 win over Everton proved the last straw for Toffees manager Frank Lampard.

In the day's late game, Newcastle were held to a goalless draw by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park for their sixth successive clean sheet.

There was another goalless draw on Sunday between Leeds and Brentford at Elland Road, before the round concluded on Monday night as Harry Kane equalled Jimmy Greaves as Tottenham's all-time leading goalscorer with the only goal of the game at Fulham.

Check out the photo gallery above to view our Premier League team of the week. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows or swipe if using a mobile device.