Richard Jolly
English football columnist Richard Jolly names his best XI for the November 7-8 weekend in the Premier League, including Manchester United’s emergent young playmaker and a pair of Crystal Palace stalwarts.
Goalkeeper: Rob Elliot (Newcastle United) – Bournemouth had 20 shots on Saturday but failed to score. Newcastle’s inspired reserve goalkeeper was a major reason why.
Right-back: Glen Johnson (Stoke City) – Helped set up Marko Arnautovic's winner against Chelsea and was part of the defence who defied his old club by keeping a clean sheet.
Centre-back: Micah Richards (Aston Villa) – The Villa captain helped end a run of seven straight league defeats as he frustrated his former club Manchester City in Sunday's stalemate.
Centre-back: Scott Dann (Crystal Palace) – "He was superb", said Alan Pardew after the centre-back, and Liverpool fan, scored Crystal Palace's winner at Anfield.
Left-back: Ryan Bertrand (Southampton) – Won the penalty that ensured Southampton secured a 1-0 victory over Sunderland. The England international defended well, too.
Right midfield: Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke City) – Showed his class with some delightful touches as Stoke became the latest team to deservedly defeat Chelsea.
Centre midfield: Jonathan Howson (Norwich City) – Ended Norwich's wait for a second win of the season with a close-range finish as Swansea lost at Carrow Road.
Centre midfield: Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur) – The precocious teenager provided more evidence of his promise with a man-of-the-match display against Arsenal.
Left midfield: Jesse Lingard (Manchester United) – A day that many perhaps thought would never happen. After 15 years on their books, Lingard scored his first United goal.
Centre forward: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) – The revelation took his extraordinary scoring run to nine consecutive games with a penalty in the 2-1 win over Watford.
Centre forward: Yannick Bolasie (Crystal Palace) – Stood in as a striker for Palace at Anfield and both scored and starred, tormenting the Liverpool defence.
