Troy Deeney Announces His Premier League Team and Manager of the Week Selections

Following each round of Premier League fixtures this season, BBC football pundit Troy Deeney presents his selections for the Team and Manager of the Week. Below are his choices for the current week. Readers are invited to share their opinions using the comments section. Jordan Pickford (Everton) was chosen for making “massive saves” that “stopped Arsenal in their tracks.” Deeney noted that Everton has faced significant pressure this year, and it was positive to witness Pickford’s strong performance, adding: “See, just as much as I hammer him, I can also be nice…” Djed Spence (Tottenham) earned a spot, with Deeney questioning his lack of playing time, stating, “I don’t understand why he hasn’t been playing, that’s a question for Ange Postecoglou.” Deeney observed that after a challenging previous year, Spence returned in the summer, demonstrating hard work and patience. His recent display was described as “excellent and solid,” making him appear as though “he had been playing all season.” Nikola Milenkovic (Nottingham Forest) was recognized for his consistent strong play, having scored from set-pieces in “back-to-back games.” Deeney praised him as “colossal at the back” and highlighted his role as “that calm head,” even with Murillo often receiving attention alongside him. Archie Gray (Tottenham) was commended for how “he has acquitted and handled himself,” with Deeney stating, “I think he’s done really well.” Gray impressed when deployed at centre-back against Southampton and also performed admirably in the midweek match against Rangers. Marc Cucurella (Chelsea) was acknowledged for playing “really well for Chelsea this year,” despite a “stupid” red card at the game’s conclusion. Deeney admitted initial doubts about his signing but now views him as a “really consistent performer,” suggesting this could lead to Chelsea “probably end up selling Ben Chilwell.” He concluded by noting Cucurella’s “great finish as well.” Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham) was included after several weeks of good form. Deeney noted that his performance against Southampton, which included a goal, showcased his “level of class and composure,” justifying his selection “even if it was only against Southampton.” Manuel Ugarte (Manchester United) “really, really surprised” Deeney. Despite it being “early days under the new manager,” Ugarte was described as having “a bit of bite about him” and being “a bit horrible.” Deeney highlighted his crucial tackles, blocks, and attack initiation even when Manchester United was 1-0 down, calling him “the catalyst as to why they went on to win” and an “underrated performance that only his team-mates will appreciate.” Amad Diallo (Manchester United) was deemed a “no-brainer” for the forward selections, which Deeney found challenging this week. Diallo was “excellent,” having “flipped the Manchester derby on its head.” Deeney observed that the young player “just seems to be growing better and better,” consistently “delivering on a regular basis” despite the “noise around Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford.” Ismaila Sarr (Crystal Palace) was selected, with Deeney recalling playing with him as a winger at Watford. At Palace, Sarr is now playing as a “10,” and Deeney believes “he’s going to show people just how good of a footballer he is.” Deeney also described Sarr as “the quickest person I’ve ever played with,” detailing how for his second goal, he gained “five yards on Lewis Dunk” and was “about 15 yards ahead” for an “Unbelievable finish.” Jacob Murphy (Newcastle) was a surprising inclusion for Deeney, who admitted, “I never thought I’d do a Team of the Week where we’d be talking about Jacob Murphy.” He considered this “probably the best compliment I can give him,” citing his “excellent performance” and “Two goals at the weekend” as reasons for his mandatory selection. Alexander Isak (Newcastle) was declared by Deeney as “The best striker in the Premier League at this moment in time,” adding, “Yes I’ve said it and yes I stand by it.” He described Isak as “the complete striker” and “Unreal,” questioning, “how haven’t Arsenal signed him?” Deeney praised him as “a really good player and finisher,” a “poacher” who is also “such a silky player,” noting the rarity of “silky poachers.” Ruben Amorim (Manchester United) was chosen not for Manchester United’s win, but specifically for his “Rashford and Garnacho decision.” Deeney viewed this as “a huge tone-setter for what he is doing at Manchester United.” He acknowledged the risk if United had lost, but the win meant “no-one is talking about it which is how it should be.” Deeney interpreted the decision as setting “Standards” and communicating that “this is what you’ve got to do and I see and hear everything. You have to make sure you’re a Manchester United player with a high level of standard and application otherwise you won’t be there.” Readers are invited to share their agreement or disagreement with Troy’s selections and propose their own Team of the Week