Best and Worst: Premier League performances of the weekend

Best

Olivier Giroud – 8.47 

Chelsea kept their faint hopes of a Champions League finish alive as they came from 2-0 down to beat Southampton 3-2 on Saturday. The Blues were hugely ineffective in every department prior to Olivier Giroud’s second half introduction and having struggled for regular game time following his arrival from Arsenal, proved his worth for the west London side at St. Mary’s. 

His brace from the bench saw him earn a WhoScored rating of 8.47, that enough to return the man of the match award, and means only Jermain Defoe (24) has scored more goals as a sub than Giroud (19) in Premier League history. It was a influential performance from the January capture who’ll hope to use the two goals as a springboard for the final games of the campaign. 

Roberto Firmino – 8.78 

Liverpool secured a comfortable 3-0 win over Bournemouth on Saturday with the Reds’ fluid front three each getting in on the act against the Cherries. Roberto Firmino added a late third on at Anfield to return a WhoScored rating of 8.78 and the man of the match award. 

It wasn’t just his impact on the ball that earned the plaudits once again, with Firmino’s influence out of possession not allowing Bournemouth a chance to settle. Indeed, the Brazilian made four tackles in the victory at Anfield, while an additional one key pass and two successful dribbles meant Firmino was more than a handful for Eddie Howe’s side in Liverpool’s routine victory. 

Wilfried Zaha – 8.99 

Capping off the top rated performers from gameweek 34 is Wilfried Zaha, whose WhoScored rating of 8.99 was better than any other player and denied Giroud a place in the team of the week. Zaha bagged a first half brace in Crystal Palace’s 3-2 win over rivals Brighton on Saturday to help move the Eagles away from the relegation zone. 

It marked the first time the Ivory Coast international had scored two goals in the same Premier League match and gave Palace and a welcome reprieve in their battle to avoid the drop. Additionally, Zaha chipped in with two key passes and four successful dribbles to mark another fine showing from the 25-year-old. 

Worst 

Lys Mousset – 5.72 

Returning to Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Bournemouth, Lys Mousset failed to have the desired effect when he was introduced as a second half substitute against the Reds. Hours earlier, Giroud had excelled off the bench, but the young Frenchman couldn’t replicate his compatriot on Bournemouth’s away jaunt. 

The 22-year-old mustered just 13 touches in 32 minutes on Merseyside and completed just four of his six attempted passes. What’s more, Mousset failed to win an aerial duel, complete a dribble or make a key pass following his introduction, and was dispossessed once, with his WhoScored rating of 5.72 the third worst in gameweek 34. 

Nacho Monreal – 5.55 

Pipping Mousset to second place is Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal, who churned out an uncharacteristically poor performance as the Gunners crashed to a 2-1 loss at Newcastle. Arsenal remain the only team yet to pick up an away point in 2018 in the top four divisions of English football and are now in danger of finishing the season outside of the top six. 

Monreal committed the fatal error that resulted in Matt Ritchie’s eventual winner, with Arsenal committing more mistakes that have led to an opposition goal (15) than any other team in Europe’s top five leagues this season. The 32-year-old also failed to have the desired impact in the final third, with all five of his attempted crosses failing to find a teammate. It was a day to forget for Monreal, who mustered a WhoScored rating of just 5.55 at St. James’ Park. 

Hugo Lloris – 5.10 

Hugo Lloris has endured a disappointing run of form between the Tottenham sticks of late, with mistakes creeping back into the Frenchman’s game. He also conceded a first half penalty as he felled Raheem Sterling in Spurs’ 3-1 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday, receiving a booking for his troubles. 

The 31-year-old saved only three of the six shots on target he faced at Wembley and failed to successfully claim a Manchester City cross in the disappointing defeat. Spurs also struggled to build out from the back as Lloris mustered just a 68% pass success rate, with only three of his 11 long ball attempts finding a teammate. All in all, it was a performance to forget for Lloris, who came away with a WhoScored rating of just 5.10.