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

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Goalkeeper: Victor Valdes (Middlesbrough)

Despite a 0-0 draw seemingly telling the story of an uneventful match, Middlesbrough’s clash with Everton wasn’t short of clear-cut chances, and Victor Valdes was responsible for preserving a point for his side. It looked for all the world that Romelu Lukaku would score after being played in by Tom Davies in the first-half, but Valdes was equal to is effort, saving superbly with his legs, and from then on Everton knew it would take something special to beat the former Barcelona man.

Only, the Toffees just couldn’t find a way through. The Spaniard was called into action to deny Ademola Lookman after the break, thwarting the youngster with a smart save at his back post before foiling the former Charlton teenager with his legs when put through on goal.

Centre-Back: Alfie Mawson (Swansea City)

When near the relegation mire, teams require goals and key contributions across the squad. Not only did Alfie Mawson’s goal against Leicester put him on three goals for 2017, a joint Premier League high for a defender alongside Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso, but it was a quite spectacular volley which knocked the stuffing out of the defending champions before they could get into gear.

The work rate of players like Mawson is just one factor which has helped Paul Clement seemingly turn Swansea around in such a short space of time, this latest victory their third win in four. Clement was duly awarded January’s manager of the month award for his efforts in steering the Swans away from trouble, and on this evidence, they may be well clear of any threat from the trapdoor before too long.

Centre-Back: Eric Bailly (Manchester United)

What has often let Eric Bailly down this season is a tendency to go into a challenge with rather a gung-ho mentality, though that is to be expected amongst raw, younger players. Some would say Mourinho isn’t a manager who is favourable of young players, but he took the plunge in bringing Eric Bailly to Old Trafford from Villarreal, and if his performance against Watford is anything to go by, he has come a long way since August.

United looked comfortable in the end, winning their encounter 2-0 against a Watford side with a capacity to threaten, but it was the composed performances of characters in the side like Bailly, measured and accurate in his duels and challenges, and a calm, composed yet imposing presence on the ball, that helped Mourinho’s men exert their authority on the game.

Centre-Back: Michael Keane (Burnley)

The former Manchester United youngster is establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s hottest young prospects in defence, and a senior cap for England cannot be far away if performances like this continue. Keane has already been vital at the back at times for Burnley this season, and he is developing a reputation as a big-game defender as well as performing week-in-week-out against other sides in the Premier League, with this latest performance to go with his brick-wall display at Old Trafford earlier in the season.

Keane’s presence in the Clarets defence firmly slammed the door on Chelsea even after Pedro’s early strike hinted at another comprehensive win for the Blues, and he helped prevent the runaway leaders from registering a single shot on target in the second-half.