Football
Michael Wade 7y

Harry Kane and Fernando Llorente lead the line in the Team of the Weekend

After each round of Premier League fixtures, ESPN FC brings you its Team of the Weekend. Our panel of experts carefully selects 11 star performers along with a manager.

Do you agree or disagree? You can have your say on those picked or overlooked in the comments section at the foot of the article or on Twitter using the hashtag #ESPNFCTOTW.

Goalkeeper: The fact that Manchester United dropped points at home wasn't a shock as such. It was more that 10-man Bournemouth -- a side who had conceded two goals or more in every game in 2017 -- were able to stop the rot in the most unlikely of circumstances. And for that reason Artur Boruc, who even saved a Zlatan Ibrahimovic penalty, receives the praise of the full Team of the Weekend panel for a superb showing.

Right-back: Nathaniel Clyne showed both sides of his game against Arsenal during a lively encounter for the Liverpool full-back. More attacking in the first half, he then dropped deeper to handle the threat of Alexis Sanchez once he was introduced after the break. Gabriele Marcotti makes the case for Manchester United's Antonio Valencia to take the right-back berth, but Paul Mariner rightly highlighted Clyne's "magnificent" showing against the Gunners.

Centre-back: Southampton's defence has had a rough time of it lately. The dependable Jose Fonte-Virgil van Dijk partnership has gone, but Maya Yoshida has stepped up in their absence and is doing a fine job under the circumstances. Marcotti has noted the Japan international's form and said: "It's not quite time to say 'Virgil who?!?' But he has come up big in Van Dijk's absence."

Centre-back: It is not a coincidence that Crystal Palace have kept consecutive clean sheets in Mamadou Sakho's first two appearances for the club. The on-loan Liverpool defender was again a key figure as Sam Allardyce's side edged away from the relegation zone with an impressive 2-0 win at high-flying West Bromwich Albion, and Steve Nicol insisted he gets more recognition with a second week in the XI.

Left-back: Paul Clement must not have got the memo that you can't do great business in the January transfer window, as, so far at least, the signing of Martin Olsson has worked out very well for Swansea. He is a unanimous pick for the panel after another inspired display on the left flank that included a goal as Burnley were beaten 3-2. Marcotti said: "He cemented his reputation as one of the best signings of the winter window."

Midfielder: Stoke needed a reaction after being trounced by Tottenham, and they got it at the expense of Middlesbrough. Marko Arnautovic came to the fore with a two-goal display that put Mark Hughes' side back in the top half of the table, and his performance saw Mariner and Nicol both give him the nod.

Midfielder: Luka Milivojevic earns the praise of Mariner and takes the central midfield berth in the team following a disciplined performance in holding midfield to nullify West Brom's in-form frontmen. "He offered great protection," was our man's verdict. The Serbia international may have cost the best part of £13 million, but Palace will consider that a bargain if they end the season out of the bottom three.

Midfielder: There were questions about whether Nathan Redmond could deliver in the Premier League on a consistent basis, but if he was going to do it anywhere, it was going to be at Southampton's talent factory, where promising young players are given their chance. That was the case against Watford, where Redmond bagged a brace in a 4-3 win to earn the praise of Marcotti, who said: "He stole the show. The former wunderkind has come into his own."

Forward: From Southampton present to Southampton's past; Sadio Mane caught the eye of Marcotti, Mariner and Nicol as he ran riot in Liverpool's 3-1 victory against Arsenal, setting up Roberto Firmino's opener and scoring the second himself in a devastating first-half showing. His impact is such that Marcotti reckons: "If Jurgen Klopp had three Manes up front and three Lallanas in midfield, he'd be running Chelsea close for the Premier League title."

Forward: Clement admitted he was unsure if Fernando Llorente would still be a Swansea player when the January transfer window closed, but after the striker's two-goal match-winning performance against Burnley, the manager must be delighted that he is. Unsurprisingly, there is more agreement from our three-man panel, and the former Juventus man gets unanimous backing. "Brilliant," is how Mariner described his performance, with Marcotti adding: "His two headed goals were picture perfect!"

Forward: Harry Kane continued his goal rush with a brace as Tottenham edged Everton 3-2 on Sunday, and he could have had more. He rightly retains his place up front, with Marcotti pointing out: "That's eight goals now in his last three games against English opposition. Fearless and skilled. Quite the combination."

Manager: Marcotti makes the case for Craig Shakespeare, who has turned Leicester's season around with two wins in the space of six days, but he is outvoted by Nicol and Mariner who plump for Eddie Howe. The Bournemouth boss has come in for flak recently with his side in free fall and their defence in disarray, but a battling performance that saw 10 men claim a point at Old Trafford is just reason to lead Team of the Weekend.

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