Premier League: Team of the Week XV feat. Chelsea and Leicester stars

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Right-Forward: Stefano Okaka-Chuka (Watford)

Stefano Okaka netted his first Premier League goal in 2,414 days against Everton, his last having come way back in May 2010 for Fulham against West Ham United. It was also his first for Watford. His first two in fact.

That first goal was of outstanding quality, back-heeling the ball into the net, and his second around half an our later was none too shabby either, killing off Everton’s threatened comeback before it could gather any real momentum.

Having endured somethuing of a journeyman career, Okaka has found adjusting to life in the Premier League difficult over his two spells with Fulham and Watford, but having gotten over injuries that stunted his progress, he now looks to be showing his capabilities under Walter Mazzarri, a lucky break given the previously reliable Odion Ighalo’s strife in front of goal this campaign.

Centre-Forward: Diego Costa (Chelsea)

He may not have been the highest-scoring striker over the weekend, but Diego Costa’s goal was a moment of quality that is so often decisive in these tense title races. It would always be a case of who made the first mistake in Chelsea’s tight win over West Bromwich Albion, and unfortunately for the Baggies it was the ever-reliable Gareth McAuley. Costa seized upon his error, before arrowing a shot into the top corner from a tight angle.

Costa is leading the race for the Golden Boot and is regularly in the mood for scoring goals, another who has managed to benefit from the new life Antonio Conte’s change of formation has breathed into the Blues.

The Brazilian born Spain international has now scored with six of his past nine shots on target in the Premier League, and appears to be far more focused on scoring the goals that could fire Chelsea to the title, rather than become embroiled in the controversies on the pitch which have blighted his career at Stamford Bridge in previous seasons.

Left-Forward: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)

Jamie Vardy scored his first Premier League hat-trick in his 85th appearance in the top-flight, and the timing couldn’t have been better, as it helped the Foxes to a much needed win over an out-of-sorts Manchester City.

His three goals were brilliantly taken, and hopefully for Leicester means that Vardy, so deadly in their title winning run last season, is back to his potent best. He set a record for goals in consecutive matches in the league last season, but this year, consistency seems to have eluded him.

But there was no sign of that this week, as Vardy ended a ten-match run without a goal in emphatic fashion. Claudio Ranieri told the media he greeted Vardy with “welcome back” in the dressing room after the game. He will be hoping however that this Vardy stays around. Guardiola’s City simply had no response to his direct running and clinical finishing, and it was just punishment for the cavalier attitude to defending City approached the King Power Stadium with.

                                                                Premier League: Team of the Week XV

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Coach: Claudio Ranieri

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