The 5 Best Players From a Wild Weekend of Premier League Action
Gameweek 4 reminded everyone why the Premier League dominates weekends across the globe. Stadiums were packed, millions tuned in from every time zone, and the matches lived up to the hype.
A few players managed to rise above the chaos and stamp their authority on the round. Their contributions shaped what turned into one of the liveliest weekends of the season.
Phil Foden Rediscovers His Spark
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Steffen Prößdorf
Phil Foden showed his quality again against United. The Manchester native opened the scoring with a header and contributed with consistent energy and composure throughout. After a mixed year, this performance reflected the level City supporters expect from him.
His runs connected well with Haaland and Jérémy Doku. The goal also came on a day marked by the news of Ricky Hatton’s passing, which added significance to the derby.
Robin Roefs Keeps Sunderland Steady
Sunderland’s summer shopping spree brought in plenty of recognizable names, one being their bargain goalkeeper who’s standing out the most. Robin Roefs was signed for a modest fee but has quickly become the first-choice and is already proving to be one of the smartest signings of the window. Against Crystal Palace, he faced an expected goals tally of 1.36, pulled off six saves, and walked away with a clean sheet.
Stopping Daichi Kamada from distance twice showed his sharp reflexes, and his command of the box gave Sunderland a platform to earn another point. Two clean sheets in his first four matches is no small feat, especially for a newcomer.
Antoine Semenyo Turns Bournemouth Into Believers
Bournemouth beat Brighton 2-1 at the Vitality Stadium, with Antoine Semenyo central to both goals. He set up Alex Scott’s opener in the 18th minute before converting a 61st-minute penalty, his third goal of the season, after Jan Paul van Hecke fouled Evanilson.
Kaoru Mitoma had briefly drawn Brighton level early in the second half, but Semenyo’s spot-kick sealed a third straight Premier League win for Andoni Iraola’s side.
Martín Zubimendi Arrives With a Statement
Arsenal fans had been waiting to see if Martín Zubimendi could bring the same control he showed in Spain to the Premier League. He answered that with a stunning performance against Nottingham Forest. His thunderous volley from the edge of the box was easily one of the goals of the weekend, and he followed it with a header to record his first brace in senior football.
With Mikel Arteta trusting him in the middle, the Spaniard gave the Gunners exactly what they needed: dominance in possession and the edge to finish chances. Zubimendi couldn’t have scripted his debut Premier League goal better.
Erling Haaland Does It Again
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Michael Emilio
The Manchester Derby rarely needs extra hype, but Erling Haaland made sure City fans walked away smiling again. Two goals against United pushed his tally to five in the league this season and brought him within three of Wayne Rooney’s derby record.
His showing is even scarier with how routine it looked. Both goals came one-on-one against Altay Bayındır, and both were finished with the precision that has made him untouchable in front of goal.