Premier League Team of the Week XXXVI feat. Southampton and West Ham stars

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Shane Long: Shane Long made the entire back-line of Manchester City have an absolutely miserable evening on Sunday, never giving them a moment’s peace and frequently hassling them into a mistake or poorly judged pass. It was the Irishman who opened the Saints’ account on the day, scoring a goal which demonstrated terrific desire – a trait which Shane Long is certainly in no short supply of. He nipped ahead of Otamendi to divert the ball beyond Joe Hart, while the centre-half was distinctly sluggish in his efforts to clear the ball. Not content with grabbing a goal for his side, Long chased into the channels, pulling the back-line around at will. He put himself about in the air too; despite not being the tallest, and made City’s centre-half pairing look out of their depth. This was a fabulous display to watch and the endeavour he showed was a pleasant reminder of what hard work can reward you with.

Andre Ayew: Liverpool’s defence has been unreliable to say the least this season and often, when it is poor, it appears as though opposition forwards can cut through almost at will. This certainly applied against Swansea, and Andre Ayew in particular picked holes in the partnership between Martin Skrtel and Dejan Lovren. The summer signing scored a brace of goals in Wales early on Saturday afternoon, harking back to his early season form where he started his Swansea career off like a house on fire. He also created two chances for team-mates, doing his best to push Liverpool’s hopes of a come-back even further down. On a day where The Swans mathematically confirmed their stay in the Premier League for another season, it was perhaps fitting that Ayew’s goals did it for them, as it was he who had given them such hope of a better campaign in August and September.

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Featured Image: All rights reserved by Sharon Cadden