• Moises Caicedo and Levi Colwill earn spots for Brighton's crushing victory that all but ended Arsenal's title hopes
• Gündoğan's star showing at Goodison Park leads Pep Guardiola to reiterate his desire for German to stay at City
• Yoane Wissa eases the burden on Brentford after the loss of Ivan Toney to injury
Goalkeeper: David Raya, Brentford
PFF shot stopping grade: 78.2 (position rank: 3/18)
Brentford’s David Raya may have narrowly missed out on a seventh shot-stopping grade to have surpassed the 80.0-mark this season against West Ham, but he did claim his 11th clean sheet of the campaign.
Only Lukasz Fabianski (83.7) and Emi Martinez (80.4) graded better as a shot-stopper this past weekend, though Fabianski conceded twice for West Ham while Martinez was the culprit for Harry Kane to score from the penalty spot in the match between Aston Villa and Spurs.
Right-back: Moises Caicedo, Brighton & Hove Albion
PFF Challenge grade: 79.2 (position rank: 7/44)
While Pervis Estupinan claimed a goal and an assist against title challengers Arsenal, Moises Caicedo produced the higher quality throughout the full 90 minutes as Brighton ended their hosts’ dreams at the Emirates.
As a makeshift right-back, Caicedo was solid as a challenger and passer for Brighton with a grades of 79.2 and 77.5 in these respective facets.
Centre-back: Victor Lindelöf, Manchester United
PFF passing grade: 81.7 (position rank: 2/45)
Among Manchester United’s top chances creators in the match against Wolves lie the usual suspects of Bruno Fernandes, Jadon Sancho and Antony, but so, too, does centre-back Victor Lindelöf.
Like Sancho and Antony, Lindelöf created three goalscoring chances in the win at Old Trafford as Manchester United claimed three crucial points in the race for Champions League qualification.
His 81.7 passing grade was one of only three grades generated by centre-backs this week to surpass the 80.0-mark.
Centre-back: Levi Colwill, Brighton & Hove Albion
PFF passing grade: 92.6 (position rank: 1/45)
Following on from Lindelöf’s solid display as a passer comes the best of the lot in Brighton’s Levi Colwill. His elite grade of 92.6 against Arsenal saw him complete 16 of his 20 pass attempts aiming to break an opposition line.
Though not called into action often, Colwill also stood up to the task as a challenger in winning 60% of his events to generate a grade of 74.2.
Left-back: Luke Shaw, Manchester United
PFF Challenge grade: 83.1 (4/44)
Luke Shaw’s reliability as a defender continues to be a key feature of Erik ten Hag’s revival of Manchester United. Against Wolves, the England international finished with a challenge grade of 83.1 after finishing with a 66% win rate or higher across aerial duels, 50-50s and tackle events.
A passing grade of 74.7 also sees Shaw rank in the top-five at his position.
Midfielder: İlkay Gündoğan, Manchester City
PFF shooting grade: 92.9 (position rank: 1/18)
Pep Guardiola once again stressed his desire for İlkay Gündoğan to stay at Manchester City beyond this season amid interest from Barcelona. And for good reason, as Gündoğan single-handedly tore apart Everton with two goals and an assist to take City closer to a fifth Premier League title in six years.
‘He can do everything’ Guardiola said of his team’s captain, who is a pending free agent after stalling on signing a contract extension.
For his performance against Everton, Gündoğan earned the week’s best shooting grade of 92.9 and the second-highest passing grade among midfielders, 81.6.
Midfielder: Douglas Luiz, Aston Villa
PFF passing grade: 81.2 (position rank: 3/65)
His sublime free-kick to put Aston Villa 2-0 up versus Spurs is not the only reason why Douglas Luiz warrants a place in this week’s XI. A passing grade of 81.2 ranks amongst the top three midfielders after completing all nine of his passes which sought to break an opposition line.
For his free-kick, Luiz earned a shooting grade of 80.9.
Right wing: Mohamed Salah, Liverpool
PFF passing grade: 82.7 (position rank: 3/79)
A hat-trick of assists for the Liverpool star was the fourth time this season a player in the Premier League has been the sole provider of three goals, with Salah joining teammate Roberto Firmino, Arsenal’s Leandro Trossard and Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise as players to have done so.
The threat posed by Salah in the victory at Leicester saw him earn grades of 82.7 and 75.1 in our passing and crossing facets.
Attacking midfielder: Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United
PFF crossing grade: 86.6 (position rank: 1/46)
The Manchester United talisman was at the forefront of his team’s goal-scoring opportunities once again with four chances created.
Fernandes has completed the second-highest number of line-breaking passes through the defensive line this season (35), increasing that number against Wolves by two as he claimed an assist and second assist to go with a crossing grade of 86.6.
Left wing: Raheem Sterling, Chelsea
PFF shooting grade: 78.0 (position rank: 5/34)
Raheem Sterling’s fourth-month wait for a goal in the league is over after he scored a brace against Nottingham Forest.
And while they were not enough to claim all three points and a first home win for Frank Lampard as interim coach at Stamford Bridge, Sterling will receive a much-needed confidence boost as a result of his display in front of goal.
A shooting grade of 78.0 ranks top five at his position and he also posted a respectable 75.3 in our ball carrying model on 21 events – the most of any player this week.
Striker: Yoane Wissa, Brentford
PFF shooting grade: 82.5 (position rank: 2/22)
In the absence of an injured Ivan Toney, Yoane Wissa ably led the line in Brentford’s attacking three with Bryan Mbuemo and Kevin Schade as they defeated West Ham 2-0.
Wissa’s five attempts on goal were matched only by Callum Wilson among strikers, but the Congolese forward’s grade of 82.5 bettered that of the Newcastle United No.9, 79.4.
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