• Goalkeeper: Martin Dubravka (Newcastle) – Made a superb start to life at St James’ Park with a series of saves on his debut. The best came from Anthony Martial. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
    Goalkeeper: Martin Dubravka (Newcastle) – Made a superb start to life at St James’ Park with a series of saves on his debut. The best came from Anthony Martial. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
  • Right-back: Pablo Zabaleta (West Ham) – Helped West Ham end their wait for a clean sheet as they shut out a Watford team who had scored four times against Chelsea on Monday. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)
    Right-back: Pablo Zabaleta (West Ham) – Helped West Ham end their wait for a clean sheet as they shut out a Watford team who had scored four times against Chelsea on Monday. (Steven Paston/PA via AP)
  • Centre-back: Alfie Mawson (Swansea) – One of the reasons for Swansea’s revival was in defiant mood as he stopped Burnley scoring in another win for Carlos Carvalhal.
    Centre-back: Alfie Mawson (Swansea) – One of the reasons for Swansea’s revival was in defiant mood as he stopped Burnley scoring in another win for Carlos Carvalhal.
  • Centre-back: Florian Lejeune (Newcastle) – The recalled Frenchman made a vital interception to stop Alexis Sanchez’s shot going into an empty net as his side got a shock win. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)
    Centre-back: Florian Lejeune (Newcastle) – The recalled Frenchman made a vital interception to stop Alexis Sanchez’s shot going into an empty net as his side got a shock win. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)
  • Left-back: Ben Davies (Tottenham) – The Welshman’s superb cross led to Harry Kane’s derby winner. He also defended well against Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
    Left-back: Ben Davies (Tottenham) – The Welshman’s superb cross led to Harry Kane’s derby winner. He also defended well against Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
  • Right midfield: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – Yet another starring role from the Egyptian, who set up Roberto Firmino’s equaliser and scored the second in victory at Southampton.
    Right midfield: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) – Yet another starring role from the Egyptian, who set up Roberto Firmino’s equaliser and scored the second in victory at Southampton.
  • Centre midfield: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City) – Got a first hat-trick of assists in a City shirt in the 5-1 win over Leicester and provided some more delightful passes.
    Centre midfield: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City) – Got a first hat-trick of assists in a City shirt in the 5-1 win over Leicester and provided some more delightful passes.
  • Centre midfield: Mousa Dembele (Tottenham) – Ran the midfield in idiosyncratic fashion against Arsenal. The Gunners had no answer to the forceful Belgian. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
    Centre midfield: Mousa Dembele (Tottenham) – Ran the midfield in idiosyncratic fashion against Arsenal. The Gunners had no answer to the forceful Belgian. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
  • Left midfield: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton) – Scored the opener in the 3-1 win against Crystal Palace as Everton produced a fine response to their 5-1 thrashing at Arsenal. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)
    Left midfield: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton) – Scored the opener in the 3-1 win against Crystal Palace as Everton produced a fine response to their 5-1 thrashing at Arsenal. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)
  • Striker: Steve Mounie (Huddersfield) – Played a huge part in earning Huddersfield their first league win of 2018 with a brace in the 4-1 demolition of Bournemouth.
    Striker: Steve Mounie (Huddersfield) – Played a huge part in earning Huddersfield their first league win of 2018 with a brace in the 4-1 demolition of Bournemouth.
  • Striker: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) – Took his extraordinary run in 2018 to 13 goals with four in a second half burst against Leicester. His third and fourth were special. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
    Striker: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City) – Took his extraordinary run in 2018 to 13 goals with four in a second half burst against Leicester. His third and fourth were special. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

Football

Premier League team of the week: Ballon d'Or contenders De Bruyne and Aguero in

Swipe left/right on your browser to see who else makes the best XI from the weekend

Richard Jolly
Richard Jolly
Greater Manchester, England

February 12, 2018

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Pep Guardiola said he had "no doubt" one of his Manchester City players should be in contention to win the 2018 Ballon d'Or.

But it wasn't his star striker Sergio Aguero. The Argentine took his Premier League tally for the season to 21 goals with a four-goal salvo in the 5-1 demolition of Leicester City on Saturday.

But while Aguero hits the target, it is Kevin de Bruyne who supplies the bullets. The Belgian creator registered a hat-trick of assists to take him to 14 for the Premier League campaign.

De Bruyne's compatriot, Mousa Dembele, slots in alongside him in the centre of midfield. Dembele ran the show against Arsenal at Wembley Stadium with a powerful display in the Tottenham Hotspur engine room.

Mohamed Salah played another starring role in yet another Liverpool win. The Egyptian laid on the goal for Roberto Firmino to open the scoring against Southampton after six minutes before scoring his 22nd of an extraordinary debut campaign for Jurgen Klopp's side.

Newcastle United recorded a famous 1-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday with goalkeeper Martin Dubravka making a superb start to life at St James' Park with a series of fine saves on debut.

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