Ex-Liverpool man pips Arsenal star to spot in Euro best XI

 

Manchester United and Arsenal defenders impressed this week as the pair secured wins in London over Chelsea and Newcastle, respectively, while a Borussia Dortmund star shone in the build up to their Champions League meeting with PSG, another team represented in the WhoScored.com European team of the week... 

 

Goalkeeper: Pepe Reina (Aston Villa) - 8.41 rating 

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A Bjorn Engels mistake cost Aston Villa a positive result in their eventual 3-2 loss to Tottenham on Sunday, but the match was kept close by the goalkeeping heroics of Pepe Reina. Despite conceding three times, the experienced shotstopper was named the WhoScored man of the match with an 8.41 rating as he made seven saves, including one penalty stop, to keep Villa in the contest until the death and feature between the sticks in the European team of the week.  

 

Right-back: Ruben Aguilar (Monaco) - 8.45 rating 

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Monaco ground out a 1-0 win over Montpellier at the weekend to move to within two points of the top four as Ruben Aguilar put in a man of the match shift at right-back. He was tidy in possession, finding a teammate with 94.3% of his 70 passes, and pushed forward well, completing three dribbles and creating two goalscoring chances. Four tackles, three clearances and two interceptions helped Aguilar to a WhoScored rating of 8.45. 

 

Centre-back: Tanguy Kouassi (PSG) - 9.19 rating 

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On just his third Ligue 1 start of the season, teenage centre-back Tanguy Kouassi put in a man of the match showing in PSG's 4-4 draw with Amiens on Saturday. While Kouassi was part of a defence that shipped four times away from home, the 17-year-old netted twice from his two shots. Six aerial duels won, four clearances, two interceptions and one tackle contributed to his WhoScored rating of 9.19, while the centre-back could have had an assist having made three key passes. 

 

Centre-back: Harry Maguire (Manchester United) - 9.11 rating 

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Harry Maguire may have been lucky to stay on the pitch at Stamford Bridge, but the towering centre-back netted Manchester United's second in their 2-0 win at Chelsea on Monday night. Having texted his brother to say he'll score against the Blues, Maguire's first Premier League goal for United came from his only shot in west London, while nine clearances, five interceptions and two tackles saw the England international earn a WhoScored rating of 9.11 in their fine win in the capital. 

 

Left-back: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) - 8.38 rating 

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"Whoops" Bukayo Saka gleefully exclaimed when watching his assist for Nicolas Pepe's goal back in the wake of Arsenal's 4-0 win over Newcastle on Sunday as he put the ball through Valentino Lazaro's legs. Saka completed six dribbles in the victory and his one key pass resulted in Pepe's strike as the teenager returned a WhoScored rating of 8.38, marking his best-rated Premier League performance of the season. 

 

Ex-Liverpool man pips Arsenal star to spot in Euro best XI

 

Right midfield: Suso (Sevilla) - 10.0 rating 

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Our European player of the week having earned a perfect 10 WhoScored rating in Sevilla's 2-2 draw with Espanyol, pipping Nicolas Pepe to a spot on the right flank in the best XI of the week, Suso had a direct hand in their two goals in the stalemate. His goal came from one of two shots and his late assist for Lucas Ocampos' equaliser was from one of six key passes. Additional returns of five dribbles and two tackles helped the Spaniard to the individual award. 

 

Central midfield: Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio) - 8.86 rating 

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There was a spanner thrown in the works of the Serie A title race as Lazio came from behind to beat Inter 2-1 in Sunday's showpiece event at the weekend. Sergej Milinkovic-Savic bagged the decisive goal 20 minutes from time, his fourth league goal of the season, which came about from one of three shots. The Serb drove forward with purpose from midfield as he completed three dribbles and worked hard off the ball, too, making three clearances and two tackles to return a fine WhoScored rating of 8.86.

 

Central midfield: Florian Neuhaus (Gladbach) - 8.78 rating

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Partnering Milinkovic-Savic in the middle of the park is Gladbach youngster Florian Neuhaus. Like Milinkovic-Savic, the 22-year-old struck at the weekend as he scored in Gladbach's 4-1 win at Fortuna Duesseldorf to get their title push back on track. The midfielder bagged his third league goal of the season with one of five shots in the away victory, while his defensive work caught the eye as Neuhaus made two tackles and two interceptions to contribute towards his WhoScored rating of 8.78.

 

Left midfield: Raphael Guerreiro (Borussia Dortmund) - 9.71 rating

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Borussia Dortmund geared up for their Champions League tie with PSG with a resounding 4-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday night, with Raphael Guerreiro chipping in with his fifth league goal of the campaign. The Portuguese wing-back has now had a direct hand in five goals in his last six Bundesliga outings, with his strike on Friday night coming from one of three shots. Guerreiro was excellent in possession as 96.3% of his 81 passes found a teammate, while the 26-year-old completed four dribbles and made three key passes. Four interceptions and one tackle saw the Portugal international land a WhoScored rating of 9.71 on Valentine's Day.

 

Ex-Liverpool man pips Arsenal star to spot in Euro best XI

 

Striker: Marcus Thuram (Gladbach) - 9.01 rating

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It's now eight games since Marcus Thuram last netted a Bundesliga goal, but the Frenchman still excelled on the frontline in Gladbach's 4-1 win. Indeed, he provided two assists from his three key passes at the weekend and excelled in the air, too, as he won seven aerial duels. With the ball at his feet, Thuram exhibited a statistically calculated WhoScored strength of 'dribbling' as he completed five dribbles to yield a WhoScored rating of 9.01.

 

Striker: Federico Chiesa (Fiorentina) - 9.04 rating

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Rounding off the European team of the week with a WhoScored rating of 9.04 is another son of a famous footballer as Federico Chiesa put in a man of the match display on Sunday. Fiorentina tore Sampdoria to shreds in Genoa, romping to a 5-1 win, with Chiesa getting on the scoresheet twice in the win. Two of his five shots hit the back of the net while another two struck the woodwork, so it could have easily been a more prolific afternoon for the 22-year-old, who also chipped in with one key pass at the weekend.

Ex-Liverpool man pips Arsenal star to spot in Euro best XI