Gameweek nine of the 2023/24 Premier League season is in the books and it was an interesting one.
VAR hit the headlines once again for some interesting decisions (accordingly), goalkeepers continued to be bad (apart from what’s in our team of the week of course) and the two north London clubs (Tottenham and Arsenal, not Brentford and Luton) remained unbeaten their starts in the season.
And after all that fun, here is the 90min team of the week:
GK: Thomas Kaminski (Luton Town)
Strong outing / Henry Browne/GettyImages
Goalkeepers who concede two goals in a game usually don’t make our team of the week, but we had to make an exception for Thomas Kaminski.
Without the Belgian between the sticks, Luton would surely have been beaten by Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon. With the Belgian between the posts, Luton managed to score a point thanks to his six saves.
RB: Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United)
The right back is one of the best in the league / Stu Forster/GettyImages
The player who has won the most player of the match awards in the Premier League since the start of last season, Kieran Trippier picked up another big yellow highlighter at the weekend.
His assist in the 4-0 win over Crystal Palace was his sixth of the 2023/24 campaign already. He is truly unique.
CB: Craig Dawson (Wolves)
Dawson has impressed / Matt McNulty/GettyImages
Yes, 33-year-old Craig Dawson is in the 90 Minutes Team of the Week for the second time this season.
And not without reason.
Slaying centre-back Erling Haaland put up another fight last weekend, making six clearances, winning nine doubles, making three breaks and generally just being bloody for 90 minutes.
CB: Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
Much improved recently / Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/GettyImages
From complete discard to Manchester United’s best player this weekend; it’s fair to say Harry Maguire’s career has been up and down lately.
The centre-back was at his best at Bramall Lane for the injured Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez. He was so good, in fact, that Erik ten Hag – the manager who stripped him of the captain’s armband this summer – praised his performance.
“He’s playing the way we want him to play. Very proactive. He doesn’t have the ball, dominates the opponent,” said the manager. “To step in when necessary. To read the game. But also in possession to step into the game and make good passes.”
LB: Diogo Dalot (Manchester United)
Winner / George Wood/GettyImages
Did Manchester United think they had to rely on a wonder goal from Diogo Dalot to beat lowly Sheffield United?
No.
They did though and it was a magnificent goal that finished very well from the Portuguese full-back.
CM: James Maddison (Tottenham Hotspur)
Another top performance / Alex Pantling/GettyImages
Tottenham weren’t at their best in Monday’s 2-0 win over Fulham (you don’t have to be), but James Maddison was still able to put in a great performance.
The creative midfielder scored his eighth goal in nine Premier League appearances for his new club in the win.
Whisper it: he’s an early PFA Player of the Year candidate.
Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa)
Got braces / Michael Regan/GettyImages
Douglas Luiz might be the best midfielder in the Premier League right now.
The Brazilian has been at the heart of everything Aston Villa have done this season – which is very good – and was once again their star performer at the weekend.
His brace helped Villa to an impressive 4-1 win over West Ham United on Sunday.
CM: Jacob Murphy (Newcastle United)
Murphy impressed / Stu Forster/GettyImages
Ok, maybe we’re going a bit Garth Crooks by putting Jacob Murphy in the middle when he normally plays as a right winger for Newcastle. But, by hook or by crook (ba dum tish), we had to fit him into this team.
Murphy’s audacious goal set the tone for what was a stunning display, with the 28-year-old adding two assists later in the 4-0 win.
RW: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
One of the best leagues / Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/GettyImages
Yes, Mohamed Salah is essentially a fixture in the 90 minute team of the week at this point.
The Liverpool star’s brace in the 2-0 win over Everton took his tally to 11 in the Premier League this season. He is ridiculously good.
ST: Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford)
Mbeumo played well / Luke Walker/GettyImages
Having not won a single game in any competition since August, it’s fair to say that Brentford badly needed a positive result against Burnley this weekend.
And thanks to Bryan Mbeumo, they got just that.
The striker put Yoane Wissa up 2-0 in the second half before firing into the top corner.
LW: Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur)
In form / Sebastian Frej/MB Media/GettyImages
With five goals in his last four games, it’s fair to say that Son Heung-min has been at his best recently under Ange Postecoglou.
The Spurs captain was once again the star of the show for his side on Monday, scoring a goal and assisting in a 2-0 win over Fulham.
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