Premier League: Team of the Week XXV feat. Manchester United and Swansea stars

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Coach: Claude Puel

Formation: 3-4-3

A very close call between three managers this week, but Puel beats off competition from his Swansea and Burnley counterparts Paul Clement and Sean Dyche, to make Coach of the Week in our selection. Puel himself had described his and his side’s ‘anger’ at allowing themselves to lose six of their last seven in the league, particularly with their EFL Cup Final just around the corner. However, in a game which they may well have lost following Sunderland’s humbling of Crystal Palace last week, Saints applied themselves well under pressure to put the Black Cats to the sword and achieve a much-needed win- their first on the road in 2017- to take them up to 11th. Manolo Gabbiadini looks an astute January addition from the Frenchman having bagged a brace on Wearside, and this latest triumph will surely work wonders for their confidence ahead of their Wembley clash with Manchester United.

This was a much-needed triumph with Saints very much feeling the pressure in a dour run of form. Sunderland after last week’s result may well have blown them away, but Puel managed to pick up his men to achieve an invaluable victory and more importantly to him, a clean-sheet, the timing of which could not have been better.