Premier League TOTW Gameweek 12: Undervalued Liverpool stars feature after opening up eight-point gap | OneFootball

When reflecting back on this Premier League season, gameweek 12 could have been the most pivotal.

After witnessing defending champions Manchester City suffer a humiliating 4-0 loss to Tottenham, Liverpool made sure they wouldn’t take this opportunity for granted, even though they nearly let victory slip away against Southampton.

Mohamed Salah’s brace secured the victory, creating an eight-point lead over Pep Guardiola’s team. Historically, those who boasted such a lead at this stage of the season have gone on to be crowned Premier League champions.

Arne Slot is doing his best to manage expectations, while Salah has suggested that City are still firmly in the title race, with only 32% of the season completed.

Despite his commendable performance, Salah has not been selected as one of the two Liverpool players in our Team of the Week for gameweek 12. West London outfits Brentford and Chelsea have two players featured, while Everton leads with three representatives following another clean sheet.

We used our Squawka Score to select the 11 players based on the statistical leaders in metrics relevant to their positions. Additionally, we have included an honourable mention XI for good measure.

GK: Mark Flekken (Brentford)

At the 12th time of asking, Mark Flekken has finally kept a Premier League clean sheet this season. Before facing Everton, the Dutch goalkeeper had conceded 22 goals, averaging one allowed every 45 minutes. He nevertheless excelled against Sean Dyche’s men, registering five saves, three of which came from shots taken inside the box. He also prevented 0.75 expected goals, the highest among all goalkeepers who kept a clean sheet during this gameweek.

Honourable mention: Bart Verbruggen (81%)

RB: Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham)

In a week filled with impressive performances from right-backs, Aaron Wan-Bissaka stood out as the best. He scored his first goal for West Ham in their crucial 2-0 victory over Newcastle. The former Manchester United full-back delivered a robust display at St. James’ Park, successfully winning two tackles and making two interceptions, further underscoring that few in his position are better defensively.

Honourable mention: Pedro Porro (75%)

CB: Nathan Collins (Brentford)

Thomas Frank would have been pleased to see his Brentford side maintain a clean sheet against Everton and not leak any more goals. Much of this success was thanks to Nathan Collins, who played a crucial role in the heart of the Bees’ defence. Collins won six aerial duels—more than any other centre-back in Game Week 12—and made eight clearances, ranking second in that category.

Honourable mention: Dara O’Shea (70%)

CB: James Tarkowski (Everton)

Collins’ opposite number, James Tarkowski, demonstrated a similarly commanding performance. He recorded eight clearances and won one fewer aerial duel. Tarkowski’s strength lay in possession, which is essential for the Toffees, who frequently find themselves defending. His retention rate of 92.65% ranked him seventh among central defenders in Game Week 12, although only three of those above him also managed to keep a clean sheet.

Honourable mention: Gabriel Magalhães (68%)

LB: Vitalii Mykolenko (Everton)

Down the Everton left flank, Vitalii Mykolenko delivered an impressive display. He recorded five touches in the opposition box, surpassing all left-backs in GW12 except for Josko Gvardiol, who had eight. Mykolenko also stood out by winning four aerial duels, the highest among players in his position.

Honourable mention: Rayan Aït-Nouri (66%)

CM: Enzo Fernández (Chelsea)

Just when some people began questioning Enzo Fernández, he delivered a performance that reminded everyone of his capabilities. Let’s start with the key statistics: Fernández played a crucial role in both Chelsea goals during their 2-1 victory over Leicester City. He created the opener for Nicolas Jackson and then scored to double the Blues’ lead. In terms of underlying metrics, he ranked in the 95th percentile among central midfielders in Game Week 12 for winning possession in the attacking third, further showcasing his strong counter-pressing abilities.

Honourable mention: João Gomes (72%)

CM: Idrissa Gueye (Everton)

Idrissa Gueye delivered an impressive performance against Brentford, showcasing his skills with a remarkable total of 18 entries into the final third, which was more than any other player in his position. In addition to his offensive contributions, he demonstrated his tenacity by winning nine duels throughout the match, further solidifying his impact on the game.

Honourable mention: Dejan Kulusevski (72%)

RW: Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

It is widely acknowledged that Bukayo Saka stands as Arsenal’s most important player. His recent performance against Nottingham Forest further reinforced this view. He not only scored the opening goal for the Gunners but also provided an assist to Thomas Partey, helping the team establish a commanding 2-0 lead. Although Saka left the field with seven minutes remaining and did not complete the match, his impact was still significant. He made ten entries into the penalty area, a number that no other winger in the Premier League matched during Game Week 12, that and his four scoring opportunities created.

Honourable mention: Mohamed Salah (70%)

No.10: Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool)

The importance of Dominik Szoboszlai’s recent performance cannot be overstated, especially considering the competitive dynamics within Liverpool’s squad. Although he was expected to have a starting position at the beginning of the season, the resurgence of Curtis Jones presented a significant challenge to Szoboszlai’s place in the lineup. Arne Slot’s decision to include him in the starting eleven against Southampton turned out to be an excellent choice, as the Hungarian international showcased his value on the pitch.

His successful execution of four tackles demonstrated his relentless work ethic, and only two other attacking midfielders, Dwight McNeil and Cole Palmer, made more entries into the penalty area. Szoboszlai not only contributed defensively but also played a crucial role in the attack, scoring the opening goal and creating three additional scoring opportunities for his teammates.

Honourable mention: João Pedro (78%)

LW: Cody Gakpo (Liverpool)

Cody Gakpo had a unique opportunity to showcase his skills against Southampton, marking only his fourth start of the current season. Despite having participated in all of Liverpool’s first 12 league games in various capacities, he had yet to establish himself as a regular starter. Although he did not score or provide an assist, his contributions were clear: he recorded one shot on target and created a scoring chance. Gakpo made nine entries into the penalty area, just slightly fewer than Saka’s ten, and completed 21 passes in the final third. His performance in that area was only surpassed by Saka’s contributions.

Honourable mention: Son Heung-Min (70%)

ST: Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea)

Chelsea can confidently assert that they have secured their long-awaited ‘number nine’ in Nicolas Jackson, who netted his seventh goal of the season in a solid performance against Leicester City, setting the tone for gameweek 12. While Jackson had the opportunity to add to his tally, having squandered a big chance, he also demonstrated his playmaking abilities by creating an opportunity for a fellow teammate.