Liverpool's nemesis features in European team of the week

 

Liverpool's unbeaten streak came to an end at Watford on Saturday as Ismaila Sarr put in his best rated Premier League performance for the Hornets. However, his rating was overshadowed by strike pair Kylian Mbappe and Josip Ilicic, who each earned perfect 10 ratings for PSG and Atalanta, respectively, to shine in the WhoScored.com European team of the week. 

 

Goalkeeper: Geronimo Rulli (Montpellier) - 8.90 rating

 

Geronimo Rulli was vital between the sticks in Montpellier's 3-0 win over Strasbourg over the weekend. The Argentine made his fourth successive Ligue 1 team of the week appearance following his performance in the home triumph, in which he made seven saves in a clean sheet attaining display. The first of two Montpellier players to feature in this XI, Rulli returned a WhoScored rating of 8.90, marking his best rated league showing of the season. 

 

Right-back: Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid) - 8.40 rating

 

The sole LaLiga representative in this XI, Dani Carvajal put in a man of the match display as Real Madrid secured all the spoils in their 2-0 El Clasico win over bitter rivals Barcelona. The Spanish right-back earned a WhoScored rating of 8.40 from the home victory as he provided the late assist for Mariano to seal Real Madrid's return to the top of the table, that coming from one of three key passes. Four tackles and one interception helped the defender to the star man award and his inclusion in the European team of the week. 

 

Centre-back: Kostas Manolas (Napoli) - 8.22 rating

 

In a limited gameweek in Italy as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak, Napoli took full advantage to secure their third successive league win with Kostas Manolas vital at the heart of the defence. The Greek centre-back bagged the opener in the Partenopei's 2-1 win over Torino, that his third league goal of the season, which came from one of two shots. Manolas was tidy in possession as 97.3% of his 73 attempted passes found a teammate, while four aerial duels won and two clearances ensured Napoli secured all three points. 


Centre-back: James Tarkowski (Burnley) - 8.10 rating

 

Burnley extended their unbeaten run to six league matches with a 0-0 draw at Newcastle, a stalemate that marked James Tarkowski's fifth WhoScored man of the match performance of the season. The 27-year-old dealt with the aerial threat Newcastle posed with ease as he won 10 aerial duels. Five clearances, two tackles and one interception helped the Clarets to a fourth clean sheet from their last five Premier League matches, with Tarkowski's WhoScored rating of 8.10 enough to partner Manolas at the back. 


Left-back: Faitout Maouassa (Rennes) - 8.34 rating

 

Rounding off the defence is Rennes' young left-back Faitout Maouassa. The 21-year-old bagged his second league goal of the campaign as Rennes improved their chances of a top-three finish with a 2-0 win a basement boys Toulouse. Maouassa's goal came from one of two shots and was solid defensively as he made three clearances and one tackle as he returned a commendable WhoScored rating of 8.34. 

 

Liverpool's nemesis features in European team of the week

 

Right midfield: Ismaila Sarr (Watford) - 9.27 rating

 

As far as Liverpool fans are concerned, all good things come to an end. Arsenal's invincible season may be in tact for now, but a 44-match unbeaten league run drew to a close at Vicarage Road on Saturday evening as Watford secured a 3-0 win over the Reds. Ismaila Sarr played a starring role in the victory as he scored two and provided the assist for Troy Deeney's goal on home turf. Sarr's two goals came from six shots and his assist as a result of a sole key pass. Two successful dribbles saw the summer arrival come away from the win over the champions-elect with a fine WhoScored rating of 9.27. 

 

Central midfield: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Roma) - 9.49 rating

 

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has endured a stop start beginning to life in Rome with injuries restricting the midfielder to just eight league starts. However, Sunday's 4-3 win at Cagliari saw Mkhitaryan give a fine example of his talent as he garnered a WhoScored rating of 9.49 from the entertaining clash, marking his best rated Serie A appearance to date. Mkhitaryan provided the assist for Nikola Kalinic's and Roma's second goal in Sardinia, that coming from one of three key passes, and scored what proved to be the decisive fourth goal from the capital outfit, that coming from one of three shots. Five additional successful dribbles capped a fine showing for the Armenian. 

 

Central midfield: Teji Savanier (Montpellier) - 9.21 rating

 

Pipping Montpellier teammate Rulli to the man of the match award in their 3-0 win over Strasbourg, Teji Savanier earned his third star man gong in the home triumph as he scored his fifth and sixth league goals of the season. Savanier's brace came from five shots in total and he could have had an assist, too, having made three key passes. Reinforcing a statistically calculated WhoScored strength of 'dribbling', the Frenchman completed three dribbles and was impressive off the ball as he made two interceptions to earn a WhoScored rating of 9.21. 


Left midfield: Coutinho (Bayern Munich) - 9.27 rating

 

No Robert Lewandowski, no problem. The Polish striker may be sidelined for another three weeks or so, but Bayern continued their push for the Bundesliga title with a resounding 6-0 win at Hoffenheim. Summer signing Coutinho may have endured a difficult campaign in Bavaria, however he netted his seventh and eighth league goals of the season in the resounding away success. Two of Coutinho's six shots hit the back of the net, while the attacker was solid in possession as he found a teammate with 93.5% of his 46 passes to come away from the win with a WhoScored rating of 9.27. 

 

Liverpool's nemesis features in European team of the week

 

Striker: Kylian Mbappe (PSG) - 10.0 rating

 

Two perfect 10 performers feature on the frontline in the European team of the week. First up is PSG sensation Kylian Mbappe, who is the WhoScored player of the week across Europe's top five leagues. The France star found the back of the net with two of his nine shots in their 4-0 win over Dijon and provided an assist for Mauro Icardi in the second half, that coming from one of five key passes, as Mbappe proved that PSG remain in with a chance of securing a place in the next of the Champions League at Borussia Dortmund's expense, with that potential outcome, along with others in football, easy to find and back with these free betting tips. 


Striker: Josip Ilicic (Atalanta) - 10.0 rating

 

Rounding off the XI is Josip Ilicic after Atalanta tore Lecce to shreds. Atalanta have now scored seven goals in three league matches this season after their 7-2 win on Sunday with Ilicic earning his fourth perfect 10 rating from his last nine outings. The Atalanta ace had a direct hand in three of their seven goals, scoring one from five shots and providing two assists from four key passes. Four successful dribbles was enough for Ilicic to make the XI alongside Mbappe as the 32-year-old earned his fifth WhoScored man of the match award from his last six outings and knock Cristiano Ronaldo off top spot as Serie A's best rated player in the process.

Liverpool's nemesis features in European team of the week