Salah back on top while rejuvenated Chelsea pair in Premier League Best XI
Mohamed Salah looked back to his best in Liverpool's 3-1 win at West Ham on Sunday night, while Chelsea secured their first win under Thomas Tuchel, with the two Premier League heavyweights making a team of the week dominated by Leeds after their victory at Leicester.
The first Leeds representative in a Whites dominated team of the week, Illan Meslier is good value for his inclusion in the XI with a WhoScored rating of 7.84. The Frenchman was unable to deny Harvey Barnes from putting Leicester ahead at the King Power Stadium, however Meslier's seven saves ensured that was the only goal he conceded as Leeds ran out 3-1 winners.
Matty Cash (Aston Villa) - 8.07
Aston Villa were fortunate to come away from St. Mary's with all three points in a contentious 1-0 win at Southampton, not that Villa will mind! Matty Cash put in a man of the match display from right-back, with his four tackles, three clearances and two interceptions contributing towards a WhoScored rating of 8.07.
Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea) - 8.03
The first goalscorer of the Thomas Tuchel era at Chelsea wasn't one of the expensive forwards signed over the summer, but rather defender Cesar Azpilicueta. The Spaniard has earned a reprieve under the German, starting recent meetings with Wolves and Burnley, and put in a man of the match showing against the latter. Azpilicueta scored his first league goal in over a year in the eventual 2-0 win against the Clarets, while two clearances and one interception saw him yield a WhoScored rating of 8.03.
Joining Azpilicueta at the heart of the defence is Leeds centre-back Liam Cooper. A WhoScored rating of 7.95 was Cooper's best in a Premier League match this season as he impressed to keep the Leicester attack quiet. Indeed, the 29-year-old made six tackles and four interceptions as Leeds secured a 3-1 win against the Foxes.
Lucas Digne may have been on the losing side in Everton's 2-0 defeat to Newcastle, but the left-back still put in a solid shift for the Toffees. Digne won five aerial duels as the Magpies struggled to get the better of the Frenchman in the air, while eight tackles and five interceptions was enough to make the team of the week with a WhoScored rating of 7.80.
Callum Hudson-Odoi (Chelsea) - 7.48
Two of Callum Hudson-Odoi's five league starts this season have come in Thomas Tuchel's first two league games as Chelsea boss, with the England international benefitting from a change in manager. Operating at right wing-back, Hudson-Odoi provided the assist for Cesar Azpilicueta's opening goal against Burnley, that coming from one of four key passes, as the Blues star features with a WhoScored rating of 7.48.
Brighton earned their first home league win of the season as they defeated Tottenham 1-0 on Sunday night, with Pascal Groß putting in a star man shift from midfield. No player made more key passes than Groß (5) in the Premier League over the weekend, one of those assisting Leandro Trossard to score the first half winner at the AMEX. The German worked hard off the ball, too, making two tackles to help return a WhoScored rating of 8.48.
Pedro Neto was unable to prevent Wolves from falling to another defeat, this time at the hands of Crystal Palace, but the Portuguese attacker did all he could to help his side secure a result at Selhurst Park. Neto created three goalscoring chances and completed five dribbles in the defeat to partner Groß in midfield with a WhoScored rating of 7.89.
The penultimate Leeds player in the team of the week, Jack Harrison bagged his fifth league goal of the season in the 3-1 win at Leicester, finding a way past Kasper Schmeichel with one of two shots. Harrison gave the Leicester backline a torrid time, completing three dribbles, while an additional three tackles saw the winger secure his spot in the team of the week with a WhoScored rating of 8.07.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) - 8.94
Mohamed Salah moved two goals clear in the race to land the Golden Boot with a brace in Liverpool's 3-1 win at West Ham. The Egyptian scored his first league goals since the 7-0 win at Crystal Palace in mid-December as he hit the back of the net with two of seven shots at the London Stadium. One key pass and one dribble helped Salah to his place on the frontline with a WhoScored rating of 8.94.
Patrick Bamford (Leeds) - 9.12
Saving the best until last. With a WhoScored rating of 9.12, Patrick Bamford is our Premier League player of the week. The Leeds star had a direct hand in all three goals in their 3-1 win at Leicester on Sunday afternoon as Bamford provided the assist for Stuart Dallas and Jack Harrison to score and netted a superb goal himself at the King Power Stadium, those coming from respective returns of three key passes and two shots.
