Best XI of Matchday 5 EPL: Onana, Jackson, and more
On September 21-22, the matches of the 5th round of the 2024/25 English Premier League took place.
The main highlight of the weekend was the showdown between Manchester City and Arsenal, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
However, with nine more exciting games to cover, the team at Daylisports presents you with the symbolic Team of the Week from the 5th round of the English Premier League!
Formation: 4-3-3
Coach: Enzo Maresca
When else, if not now, should Maresca receive recognition? The Italian coach led Chelsea to a 3-0 win over West Ham. While Enzo may not have devised a genius strategy, his team finally showed a desire to win. The Blues are currently in the top 5, and considering their upcoming matches against Brighton and Nottingham, they could climb even higher.
Goalkeeper: André Onana (Manchester United)
As Erik ten Hag said: "Now we can see how good a goalkeeper, Onana is." Indeed, the Cameroonian keeper made four saves, including two in quick succession. André played brilliantly against Crystal Palace.
We also want to mention David Raya, who performed well in the match against Manchester City. However, since he conceded two goals, it's only fair to give the spot to Onana.
Left-back: Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal)
The Italian has begun to show why he was signed by London. While Riccardo was a bit shaky during the first goal conceded to Man City, he managed to redeem himself.
Calafiori scored a beautiful long-range goal, leveling the score for the Gunners. He also made 3 tackles and completed 94% of his passes.
Center-backs: John Stones (Manchester City), Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool)
Stones made it into the team thanks to his match-winning performance for Man City. The Englishman came on in the 78th minute for Kyle Walker to shift to a back three. John scored in the 90+8th minute, becoming the hero for the blue side of Manchester. As for defensive duties, he had little to do.
We included Konaté for his solid play not only in the game for Liverpool but for his overall contributions this season. The French center-back pairs perfectly with Liverpool’s defensive leader Virgil van Dijk, forming one of the best defensive duos in the world. In the match against Bournemouth, Ibrahima also provided an assist and won 4 aerial duels.
Right-back: Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa)
With little competition, Konsa makes the cut thanks to his goal for Villa, which ultimately led to their win over Wolverhampton, despite another goal being scored later. Konsa finished off a cross from Tielemans and played well both in defense and going forward: 2 tackles + 97% pass accuracy.
Midfielders: James Maddison (Tottenham), Youri Tielemans (Aston Villa), Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Maddison did an outstanding job in midfield and also managed to score against Brentford. It was after Maddison’s shot was parried by the opposition keeper that Solanke scored. The English midfielder repeatedly set up his teammates for scoring chances, though they didn’t capitalize.
Tielemans has been brilliant this season. He fits perfectly into Villa’s already strong squad and is a key figure for Emery. In the match against Wolves, he delivered the assist for Konsa’s goal.
Palmer, after Nicolas Jackson, was the best on the pitch in Chelsea’s match against West Ham. He scored a goal and played well in midfield. Palmer is one of the most promising players in the world, and he’s already bringing his game to near perfection.
Left winger: Luis Díaz (Liverpool)
The Colombian already has 8 goal involvements this season, surpassing his total of 7 from last year. In the 5th round, he netted a brace against Bournemouth, earning his spot on the left wing.
Right winger: Tyler Dibling (Southampton)
Tyler was promoted from the Saints' youth team this season, and at 18, he scored his first Premier League goal. His strike earned Southampton their first point of the current campaign. It could have been 3 points if not for Sam Morsy's equalizer for Ipswich in the 90+5th minute.
Striker: Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea)
Finally, the Senegalese forward, much like the entire Chelsea squad, showed what he’s capable of. The Blues crushed West Ham 3-0, and Jackson registered a brace plus an assist. That’s why he takes the striker position over Erling Haaland, despite the Norwegian scoring in the round’s headline match.
Luis Torres
Dailysports's expert
