Premier League: Team of the Week XX

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Goalkeeper: Vito Mannone (Sunderland)

He may not have kept a clean sheet in this one, but Italian Vito Mannone excelled in the absence of Sunderland’s first-choice shot-stopper to deny Liverpool as they peppered the Black Cats’ goal with 15 efforts on target. Despite being breached by Daniel Sturridge and then again by Sadio Mané, Mannone’s superb performance and excellent string of saves kept his side in it sufficiently enough for Defoe’s two perfectly placed spot-kicks to prove worthy of securing a precious point.

Right-Back: Angel Rangel (Swansea City)

What a time for the defender to end a run of 95 Premier League games without a goal by scoring the winner against Crystal Palace. It was his first since May 2013, and it may well prove vital come the end of the season as it lifts Swansea to a point away from safety just in time for new manager Paul Clement to take the reins.

Caretaker manager Alan Curtis has positively impacted the Swansea team on each occasion that he has taken temporary charge prior to the arrival of a new manager, and the introduction of Rangel proved a masterstroke. The intention was to help the Swans see out the game, but instead when Wilfried Zaha looked to have deprived the visitors of three precious points, the Spaniard took the game into his own hands and snatched them back for his team with a rare, yet oh so critical strike.

Centre-Back: Alfie Mawson (Swansea City) 

In these so-called “six pointers”, it often takes grit and determination at the back to preserve a positive result. Alfie Mawson showed that when it was needed most at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace, making eight clearances, one tackle, one interception and putting in a block on a goal-bound effort.

His key contribution however was undoubtedly netting Swansea’s opener on the night, meeting Gylfi Sigurdsson’s free-kick two minutes before half-time to score his first Premier League goal for Swansea in his 10th appearance for the club.

Centre-Back: Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham Hotspur)

There seems to be some history growing between Tottenham and Chelsea, particularly so since the Blues ended Spurs’ title hopes last season after coming from 2-0 down to deny them the win they needed to keep pace with leaders Leicester going into the final two matches. They have been waiting some time to repay them for that night after Chelsea took the spoils in their clash back in November, but due payback was dished out as Spurs ran out 2-0 winners at White Hart Lane on Wednesday.

A key part of that win was the performance of the hosts’ three-man defence, marshalled by the brilliant Toby Alderweireld, who time and again this season has proved critical for his side. Spurs have conceded just six goals in the 12 Premier League games that Alderweireld has started this season, compared with eight goals in eight games when he hasn’t featured, and against Chelsea, he was central to shutting out the free-scoring visitors, and kept forward Diego Costa firmly in check.

Left-Back: Gael Clichy (Manchester City)

Clichy’s strike against Burnley was just his third Premier League goal in his 311th game in the competition, and how Manchester City needed it as they toiled in their attempts to make the breakthrough against a dogged and determined Burnley following three defeats over the December period.

Pep Guardiola has rashly left Sergio Aguero out of his starting line-up against the Clarets, so it took an inspired performance from others on the pitch to make up the ground, and Clichy duly rewarded the Spaniard for including him at left-back. He tirelessly got up and down the flanks, and took his goal well, cutting inside before unleashing an unstoppable effort beyond Tom Heaton.