Premier League Team of the Week: Forest heroes make big impression
The latest round of Premier League fixtures certainly did not disappoint as form went out the window and pre-match predictions went south with Forest, Leicester, Villa and Everton all picking up huge wins.
With plenty of competition for places in this week's starting XI, and a good old-fashioned 4-4-2 formation, here is Flashscore's Premier League Team of the Weekend for game week 12:
GK - Dean Henderson (25, Nottingham Forest)
The stopper - on loan from Manchester United - faced a predictably busy afternoon against a seemingly resurgent Liverpool. A string of incredible saves, particularly from van Dijk's last-gasp header in the dying moments, played a huge hand in Forest's shock result against Klopp's side, and the performance will have done the Englishman no harm in his stake for a place in England's World Cup squad.
DR - Kieran Trippier (32, Newcastle United)
Tripper returned to his old stomping ground but wasn't doing his old mates any favours with another resilient display captaining an in-form Magpies. Despite being beaten for Kane's goal (although he did his best to put the striker off), the 32-year-old rarely put a foot wrong either defensively or going forward. The home side could do with a right-back of similar quality.
CB - Conor Coady (29, Everton)
A toss-up between him and fellow centre-back James Tarkowski (29), the on-loan Coady just about pips it after putting in a solid display alongside his countryman, all in front of the watching gaze of Gareth Southgate. Commanding in the air and a calming influence in the back line, he was a vital cog in helping Everton to keep a clean sheet and end a three-match losing streak.
CB - Steve Cook (31, Nottingham Forest)
Helping his side to a clean sheet against one of the league's most fearsome frontlines, the veteran defender put in an assured performance to keep the other Reds at bay, helping his team record one of their greatest achievements in recent times against a much-fancied and in-form Liverpool.
DL - Luke Shaw (27, Manchester United)
The England left-back put in an energetic performance against Chelsea, contributing plenty of promising passes and overlaps in United's excellent build-up and overall performance. He also grabbed himself an assist for United's late equaliser courtesy of Casemiro.
MF - Youri Tielemans (25, Leicester City)
The Belgian has struggled for the most part this season - but then who hasn't at Leicester City this year? But the Foxes turned things around with a jaw-dropping thumping away win against a bewildered Wolves side. Tielemans was integral to the drubbing, lighting the fuse from midfield all game and kicking off the scoring with a sublime goal in the opening ten minutes.
MF - Ryan Yates (24, Nottingham Forest)
Arguably the top performer in this week's team, 24-year-old Yates drew all the plaudits from pundits, teammates, and his manager, as the Forest vice-captain put in a mature and ferocious performance, flying robustly into every tackle and playing all the right passes. Liverpool simply couldn't get going because of him.
MF - Alex Iwobi (26, Everton)
The Nigerian is having arguably his best season so far in an Everton shirt - with this up there with his best performances in recent times. The former Arsenal man lit a fire beneath Frank Lampard's men, and his two assists and 100% tackling culminated in an undeniable man-of-the-match performance. He now sits just behind Kevin De Bruyne (31) in the assists chart.
MF - Leon Bailey (25, Aston Villa)
Aston Villa looked like a side on a mission in their first outing since Steven Gerrard's sacking as manager, and no one more so than Jamaican Leon Bailey. The winger was practically unplayable all afternoon, contributing a goal and an assist within just seven minutes as Villa ran riot against a shell-shocked Brentford.
ST - Erling Haaland (22, Manchester City)
Just Haaland doing Haaland things. The Norwegian monster brought his tally to an eye-watering 17 goals in just 11 games, netting yet another double in yet another powerful and devastating display. It's almost not fair to include him anymore, but here we are.
ST - Taiwo Awoniyi (25, Nottingham Forest)
The second Nigerian to make this weekend's team, Awoniyi spent six years as a Liverpool player without ever making an appearance, so naturally it was fate that he came back to haunt his former club and move his current employers off the bottom of the table. The striker was a thorn in Liverpool's side all game and thoroughly deserved his moment after reacting quickest to a post-hitting header - his performance deservedly drawing plaudits from both managers in the post-match interviews.
Notable mentions: Casemiro (Manchester United), Harvey Barnes (Leicester City), Almiron (Newcastle United), Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Danny Ings (Aston Villa)
