Premier League Team of the Week II

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Coach: Antonio Conte (Chelsea)

Formation: 4-4-2

Antonio Conte didn’t make our pick as manager for his inch-perfect starting set-up this time, but because he proved he is more than just a master of meticulous preparation in Chelsea’s trip to Watford. With the Blues trailing 1-0 to Etienne Capoue’s 55th minute strike, and his Blues team running out of ideas against old foe Walter Mazzarri’s team, wily fox Conte pulled out his ace in the hole with three inspired substitutions, Victor Moses, Michy Batshuayi and Cesc Fabregas entering the fray in place of Pedro, Oscar and Nemanja Matic. His daring roll of the dice paid the ultimate dividends, as Michy Batshuayi pounced on Heurelho Gomes’ error to equalise, before Cesc Fabregas slipped an inch-perfect defence-splitting pass through to Diego Costa who finished through Gomes’ legs to win the game for Chelsea.

Conte’s sheer bravery to change his approach showed there is more to him as a manager than a master of the starting system and demonstrated the sheer effectiveness of his Plan B when it is required. Batshuayi did enough to earn a BBC Man of the Match accolade following his introduction, and Conte’s willingness to turn to his bench and inject the freshness necessary when another coach may have hesitated does enough for him to make it into the dugout to lead the Matchday II XI.

Goalkeeper: Eldin Jakupovic (Hull City)

Jakupovic’s save to deny Gylfi Sigurdsson alone was our goalkeeping pick of the weekend as he somehow managed to get his fingertips onto the ball and claw it onto his crossbar. With Hull City facing extraordinary times, with only a handful of fit senior professionals, an interim manager and boardroom turmoil, with the senior goalkeeper missing through injury, you need your fringe players to step up, and Jakupovic has duly obliged, with four of his past seven league games for Hull (including last season’s Championship playoffs) yielding clean sheets.

His five-star performance made it two wins from two for Hull, and their depleted team marches on in the Premier League as this young keeper marches on into our pick of the week.

Right-Back: Matthew Lowton (Burnley)

Part of Liverpool’s collapse at Turf Moor after their brilliant start to the season at Arsenal was owed to the performance of Lowton at right-back. Back in the Premier League for the first time since he left Aston Villa, the former Sheffield United man made his experience count, keeping the marauding James Milner in his pocket throughout and adding to the solidity of Sean Dyche’s Clarets on Saturday afternoon. He was always keen to get involved and never shyed away from possession, his 41 touches of the ball meaning he saw more of the action than any of his Burnley teammates.

Centre-Back: Michael Keane (Burnley)

Michael Keane’s performance at centre-half for Burnley was another catalyst in one of the results of the weekend as the Clarets stunned Liverpool with a 2-0 triumph at Turf Moor. The former Manchester United man was no-nonsense in his approach to this one and hardly anything got beyond him as Burnley’s defence slammed the door on Liverpool’s three-pronged attack and the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana and co were unable to create any real threat. He made numerous clearances and was always at the heart of the action when Burnley had to defend and has thoroughly earned his place at centre-half here.

Centre-Back: Mason Holgate (Everton)

Barnsley seem to be developing a trend of being a feeder club for Everton regarding top-class defenders, and the youngster’s inclusion epitomised the effectiveness of Ronald Koeman’s philosophy of blooding younger players as the £2million signing got his chance for the Toffees in their match at West Bromwich Albion. His pace, versatility and reading of the game renders him a perfect stand-in for the departed John Stones and with many parallels, including club origins, Holgate, on this showing may turn out to be just as good.

Left-Back: Luke Shaw (Manchester United)

Manchester United’s left-back has truly come back strong since his horror leg-break in the Champions League at PSV Eindhoven last season, and in United’s Friday night showdown with Southampton at Old Trafford, he the England international showed that he may just be beginning to get back to his best after his display against his old club. He was solid defensively for Manchester United and was just as effective in getting up the pitch, winning his teak a penalty that Zlatan Ibrahimovic gratefully tucked away for his second goal of the night.