Premier League: Team of the Week XX

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Goalkeeper: Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City)

It has been a difficult season for Leicester City domestically following their extraordinary achievements last campaign, and although they have been struggling nearer the wrong end of the table despite their exploits in Europe, they earned a key win over West Ham to ease their relegation concerns, and they were much indebted to goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who made five saves to help Leicester to a 1-0 victory, just his third clean sheet of the campaign.

Ron-Robert Zieler has proved a capable replacement whilst the Dane has been out on the sidelines with a broken hand, but with an obvious correlation between Schmeichel playing and the Foxes not conceding, Claudio Ranieri will be mightily relieved to have his Number One donning the gloves again.

Right-Back: Antonio Valencia (Manchester United)

The Ecuadorian makes it into our pick for the second game in succession, and it was once again for his influence in getting forward and helping run the channels and get balls into the box, which proved clinical in stretching Middlesbrough and helping the Red Devils pull a result out of the fire that seemed to have eluded them. He attempted the most crosses of any United player overall, with 12 attempted balls into the box, and also had the highest pass accuracy amongst José Mourinho’s men, completing 98%.

Besides helping take the game to the visitors after Grant Leadbitter’s strike had notched them ahead, Valencia was instrumental in shutting up shop after Paul Pogba’s header had turned the game on its head. Sometimes even the world’s best defenders have to know when to play it simple, and Valencia had no qualms about ballooning the ball into the stands when his team needed to relieve pressure.

Centre-Back: Wes Morgan (Leicester City)

In a testing season for Leicester following their achievements last campaign, their victories have been built on the foundations of last year’s successes, reliability, grit and hard work in defence, and Wes Morgan exemplified this perfectly in this latest win over West Ham, his eight clearances totalling more than any of his teammates, helping the Foxes keep a clean sheet, a rare and precious commodity compared to 2015/16.

Morgan’s cool head at the back was vital to shutting out the Hammers, and the relief was clear upon Claudio Ranieri at full-time that his team hung on in there. Much was owed to their goalkeeper, but just as much to the defence in front of him, marshalled by last season’s Captain Fantastic.

Left-Back: James Milner (Liverpool)

James Milner again makes the Pick of the Week, and it was really a none contest after his personal battle with Raheem Sterling, two men facing their former clubs of course, became a fascinating highlight of Liverpool’s win over Manchester City.

The England international has grown into the role since Jurgen Klopp re-deployed the utility man in the position, and in the past few games in particular he has been vital in adding a new dimension to the position for Liverpool.