Before European competitions take centre stage again, there was space in the jam-packed calendar for a midweek round of Premier League fixtures, in which Liverpool and Nottingham Forest's unforeseen top-of-the-table encounter ended in a 1-1 draw.
Arsenal made the most of their two title rivals dropping points with a 2-1 fightback success over Tottenham Hotspur in the North London derby, but Chelsea's slump continued in a pulsating 2-2 home draw with Bournemouth.
Manchester City's resurgence was also stopped in its tracks as they were astonishingly held to the same score by Brentford, but Newcastle United enhanced their Champions League credentials on account of a 3-0 success over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
An Amad Diallo-inspired Manchester United also scored three second-half goals in a 3-1 comeback win over Southampton, while elsewhere in the north, David Moyes's Everton homecoming was spoiled by Aston Villa in a 1-0 triumph for the Lions.
Further down the division, Leicester City were condemned to another lowly loss - 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace - Ipswich Town were condemned to the same fate against Brighton & Hove Albion at Portman Road, but Graham Potter's West Ham United emerged as 3-2 victors versus London rivals Fulham.
Here, Sports Mole selects its Premier League Team of the Week for the latest round of fixtures.
DEFENCE
© Imago
Matz Sels's collection of wonder saves for Nottingham Forest against Liverpool warrants a mention, but the brilliant Belgian just misses out on the gloves to Bournemouth's Mark Travers, who registered an exceptional eight stops against Chelsea as the Cherries came agonisingly close to a famous Stamford Bridge victory.
The Blues have sought to plug their defensive gaps by recalling Trevoh Chalobah from his Crystal Palace loan, thereby ceding any hopes of reuniting with Marc Guehi for now. However, a Chalobah-less Palace still left Leicester's King Power with three points and a clean sheet thanks to Guehi, who made an intelligent run to notch the Eagles' second from a free kick while also making two blocks and winning three of his four aerial contests on the day.
Sels might have been overlooked for the goalkeeping position, but Forest's man-mountain defender Murillo was the first name on the teamsheet, having made an astounding 17 clearances in the draw with Liverpool; the most by a single player in one Premier League game this season. Whether Forest can maintain their shock title and Champions League charge for the rest of the season remains to be seen, but the centre-back's exemplary displays would not look at all out of place at Europe's top table.
A possible future partner for Murillo in the Brazil jersey, Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes cannot help but haunt North London rivals Tottenham, repeating his aerial trick from the first derby of the season to equalise on Wednesday evening even if he was not credited with the goal. Also throwing himself in the way for the team, Gabriel registered three blocks and a 100% aerial duel success rate from three such battles, as the Gunners beat Spurs in three straight Premier League games for the first time ever.
MIDFIELD
© Imago
Where would Man United be without Amad Diallo? Much closer to the relegation zone no doubt, as the Ivorian wing wizard saved the Red Devils the embarrassment of a home loss to Southampton with an exceptional 12-minute hat-trick on Wednesday evening, becoming the second-youngest Man United treble scorer in Premier League history after none other than Wayne Rooney.
On the other flank, Fulham's Alex Iwobi declared at two rather than three against West Ham United, and the ex-Arsenal man's goals were certainly of the unorthodox variety, both seemingly intended as crosses that evaded everyone en route to goal. Thanks in part to his freak brace, Iwobi was heavily influential on the playmaking front, also creating five chances and registering six accurate long balls from six attempts, although all were ultimately in vain.
However, Boubacar Kamara's dogged midfield display for Aston Villa against Everton was rewarded, as the Frenchman put in a stellar shift at Goodison Park. From preventing a certain Toffees goal to winning all three of his aerial duels, Kamara was a menace in the middle of the park all evening, also drawing five fouls from an exasperated Everton.
Bruno Guimaraes is no stranger to winning free kicks either - drawing more fouls than any other player in the division this season with a staggering 68 - and the omnipotent Newcastle lynchpin ran Wolves ragged all evening at St James' Park, delivering a crisp pass to tee up Alexander Isak for his second goal and boasting a total of of four key passes and five tackles overall.
ATTACK
© Imago
We may as well stick with the Newcastle theme. Alexander Isak, Daniel Sturridge, Jamie Vardy and Ruud van Nistelrooy all now have one thing in common; they are the only players to ever score in eight straight Premier League games. The fabulous former's first effort may have taken a lucky deflection, but there was nothing fortuitous about his composed second, which preceded an assist for the man below.
Isak might be hogging the Newcastle spotlight at present, but the applaudable contributions of Anthony Gordon should not be overlooked, as the England international put the cherry on top for the Magpies against Wolves while also completing no fewer than seven successful dribbles, only failing with two such attempts.
While Gordon has been dazzling and delighting all season, PFA Player of the Year Phil Foden has only just started to show the sort of form that saw him bestowed with the prestigious prize last season. However, the Man City phenom might now be back to his best if his brace against Brentford - a well-executed volley and quick reaction strike - is anything to go by.
SPORTS MOLE'S PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM OF THE WEEK
Sports Mole's Premier League Team of the Week (3-4-3): Travers; Guehi, Murillo, Gabriel; Diallo, Kamara, Guimaraes, Iwobi; Foden, Isak, Gordon
Ben Knapton
