Premier League Match Day 20 TOTW-Pogba makes TOTW for a third match day in a row

As the Premier League plays it's last games in 2018, Arsenal go to Anfield to try and stop Liverpool's title challenge.

Elsewhere, Chelsea visit Crystal Palace as Roy Hodgson's men look to bounce back from their poor performance against Cardiff City. Manchester United look to continue winning ways at Old Trafford as Bournemouth travel to face them, and Tottenham Hotspur look to thrash a third team in a row as they go against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

My TOTW for matchday 20

Goalkeeper- Neil Etheridge (Cardiff City)

Cardiff City and Neil Warnock will be very happy that Etheridge hasn’t been selected for the Philippines national team because he was outstanding against Leicester City.

The 28-year-old saved a poor James Maddison penalty and prevented Jamie Vardy from scoring on a number of occasions.

The win for Cardiff put’s them at 16th in the Premier League and Etheridge deserves a lot of credit for their current position in the league.

Defenders- Andrew Robertson (Liverpool), Willy Boly (Wolverhampton Wanderers) and Sol Bamba (Cardiff City)

Andrew Robertson: Liverpool destroyed Arsenal 5-1 at Anfield on Saturday and ended 2018 on a high.

Andy Robertson was too high up when Liverpool conceded, but for the rest of the game his pressure in Arsenal’s half meant Liverpool dominated the London side very easily.

Robertson was subbed off for Nathaniel Clyne in the 83rd minute and was greeted with Liverpool fans chanting his name after another brilliant performance.

Willy Boly: French centre back Willy Boly began his sides comeback against Tottenham with a powerful header. Hugo Lloris got a hand to it, but the ball had too much power behind it and it flew into the net.

Defensively Boly was also superb against an in-form Tottenham. Boly won 78% of his aerial battles and was strong against the likes of Kane, Son and Ali.

Great performance from Wolves who didn’t give up, even when they went a goal down. But to concede 3 goals in 15 minutes is very poor by Tottenham.

Sol Bamba: Etheridge was not the only hero against Leicester on the 29th December as Sol Bamba was heroic against The Foxes too.

As Etheridge saved Maddison’s penalty, Bamba rushed in to clear the ball, stopping any chance of a rebound for Leicester.

He also made a brave block to prevent Ricardo Pereira from scoring the first goal of the game. Sol Bamba was solid as a rock against the East Midlands side.

Midfielders- N’Golo Kante (Chelsea), Dwight McNeil (Burnley), Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool), Victor Camarasa (Cardiff City) and Matt Ritchie (Newcastle)

N’Golo Kante: Maurizio Sarri want’s Kante to score more goals, and he did so against Crystal Place as he scored the only goal of the game.

It was strikers finish too, as he took David Luiz’s high ball down to the ground using his chest and accurately slotted the ball past Vincente Guaita.

Kante is very reliable for Chelsea, and as long as they score the first goal, they can count on him to shut down the opposition’s attacks. Bargain for £30 million.

Dwight McNeil: What a debut start in the Premier League for 19-year-old Dwight McNeil.

Sean Dyche knew he needed to make changes after his side’s awful 5-1 loss against

Everton on Boxing Day. McNeil was brought in on the left wing and scored Burnley’s second goal of the game and his first for Burnley and in the Premier League.

Giving young players the chance is great because they have the desire to impress and to try and get into the side next week.

McNeil’s run to the back post would not have happened from a player who lacks the willingness to make a hopeful run, but a young player like McNeil showed he wanted the ball and scored a deserved goal against The Hammers.

Paul Pogba: Paul Pogba is no longer stuck to a set position in midfield and has the freedom of the whole pitch as he provides Manchester United with a new attacking dimension to their game.

Pogba scored two more goals as he increases Solskjær’s winning run as United’s manger to 3 games.

The Frenchman now has 4 goals in his last 3 games in the Premier League, which was as many as he had in his 20 previous appearances under Mourinho!

Pogba’s first was made by Marcus Rashford as he dazzled Bournemouth defenders Ake and Rico, but his second goal came from an Ander Herrera pin point cross which met Pogba’s head and into Begovic’s net.

He even got an assist as he set up Romelu Lukaku’s goal two minutes into the substitutes game.

Georginio Wijnaldum: When at his best, Georginio Wijnaldum is Liverpool’s best midfielder. He can run all game, hassling opponents, causing them to make mistakes under pressure or to be tackled by the Dutchman.

Furthermore, playing under Jurgen Klopp, Wijnaldum’s passing has significantly improved and his awareness of the opposition around him is second to none in the Premier League.

The pressure applied to Torreira and Xhaka meant Arsenal couldn’t threaten Liverpool in the second half.

Victor Camarasa: Camarasa gave a lesson in how to finish a game to football fans and also Leicester City. Leicester had many times to kill the game off but failed to do so.

Camarasa on the other hand made a chance out of nothing and lobbed Kasper Schmeichel from 25 yards to steal all 3 points for the Welsh side.

Possession doesn’t win you games, and even though Neil Warnock’s side had 38%, they deserved the win for staying in the game during tough spells.

Matt Ritchie: Newcastle have been struggling for goals this season, but when you have a player at your disposal such as Matt Ritchie who provides plenty of service for a team’s frontman, some questions need to be asked elsewhere.

Ritchie made 15 crosses in the game against Watford, and one of his many crosses assisted Solomon Rondon’s goal in the 29th minute.

If Rafa Benitez had a bit more quality on the field, his side could of got more out of this game at Vicarage Road because Watford didn’t turn up until late on in the game.

Forwards- Roberto Firmino (Liverpool)

That is the Bobby Firmino Liverpool fans have been missing. The Brazilian hasn’t always been at his best this season, but he stole the show in Arsenal’s pantomime-esque performance.

His first is a mixture of a striker’s instinct to be in the right place at the right time, his second however was one of the best goals he’s scored in a red shirt. Both were helped by amateurish Arsenal defending, but he deserved the headlines for a superb performance.

Mo Salah handed him the penalty for the ‘foul’ on Dejan Lovren and the rest was history…

Overview

Liverpool’s emphatic win against Arsenal, from a goal down too, will be a message to Manchester City that if they are not at their best on the 3rd of January, they too will be walked over.

City do move back to second has Tottenham fail to continue their dominating wins after a dismal performance at Wembley against Wolves.

Manchester United are now only 3 points from the top 5 spot and they play Newcastle in 2019 as Solskjær looks to impress even more as interim United boss.

But the big question after 20 games into the Premier League is, if Manchester City can’t beat Liverpool, then who in the league can?