Premier League Team of the Week XXXII feat. Spurs and Liverpool stars

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Moussa Dembélé: Spurs’ Belgian midfielder combined his tremendous upper body strength with great agility to once again be the linchpin of the North Londoners’ performance against Liverpool. Moussa Dembélé enjoyed terrific personal battles against Jordan Henderson and Emre Can, continually finding himself in tussles with Liverpool’s captain as each individual’s determination and stamina were tested to the limit. Dembélé; as always seems to be the case since his re-discovery of top form this season, could be seen marauding forward and back during the game and influencing proceeedings all over the park. He was equally effective in defence and attack, with some well-rounded statistics proving his worth – six successful take-ons, four victorious aerial duels, four tackles, and five clearances.

Jordan Henderson: The Reds’ skipper was back to somewhere approaching his energetic best. Jordan Henderson has not been at the peak of his powers in a Liverpool shirt for much of the campaign, but he was absolutely everywhere on Saturday evening, hassling and harrying Spurs’ midfielders who have rightly received a great deal of praise for their creativity over the last few months. The former Sunderland man exhibited tremendous tracking back from box to box, and his well-known stamina allowed him to make eight tackles. The prime example of Henderson’s utility to the Anfield outfit was when Spurs were on the break straight after conceding a corner, but Liverpool’s captain was there where his side needed him, running all the way with the fresh-legged Nacer Chadli.

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Dimitri Payet: Since recovering his match fitness after returning from an ankle injury, Dimitri Payet has rarely been short of sensational. The Frenchman is rapidly overtaking both Willian and Christian Eriksen as the most feared exponent of a direct free-kick, proving his worth in this area against Manchester United before surpassing it for his national side against Russia, and then wowing the onlookers with a dazzling effort against Crystal Palace. His effort had an incredible amount of dip and bend to take it over a seven-man wall, finding its way right into the top corner of The Eagles’ goal, beating the ‘keeper on his own side. Payet popped up all over the pitch in attacking areas, interchanging positions with Manuel Lanzini delightfully, and his team-mates benefitted from his intelligent outlook on the game, as he beat a marker with skill three times in order to supply four chances throughout the ninety minutes.