Week 5 was a good one for any fan of the Premier League, with big matchups across the board and plenty of close games. As always, there was some controversy, upsets, and highlight moments all weekend long. Here at betcha, we are ready to review all the action and hand out some of our awards for the week.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into it.
Fantasy Steal of the Week: Anton Starch
Leeds are now 2-1-2 after five weeks of the new season and will no doubt be happy with some of their early returns. This past weekend they managed to notch three more points against a floundering Wolves side who look like they might find themselves at the bottom of the pack throughout the season.
Looking at why they were able to blow Wolves away, look no further than summer transfer acquisition Anton Starch who made his move from Hoffenheim. This time out he was scintillating especially from a fantasy standpoint where he not only scored but also assisted, a great foundation for fantasy owners. Throw in his 90 minutes, 15 defensive contributions and 3 bonus points, and he made all of his fantasy owners very happy if they did start him.
In total he led the round with 15 points and at a five million pound value that is nothing to be sneezed at. So if you had him owned, well done to you. And if you are looking for a cheaper midfielder to make some breathing room in your budget going forward, maybe Starch could be an option for you in specific match ups.
Under 21 Wonderkid: Andrey Santos
The Chelsea versus Manchester United game was bizarre to say the least, with two red cards, one of them shown to Robert Sánchez just four minutes into the match. From there, Chelsea were forced to make multiple changes that effectively ended the game. Shortly after, Cole Palmer went off injured after 20 minutes, which brought on one of the best young midfielders in the world, Andrey Santos. At 21 years old, Santos captained Strasbourg on loan last year and is already capped by the Brazil national team. When he came on for Palmer, he showed all the class that has built his resume to this point in his career.
He bossed the midfield once the game was brought back to numbers parity, completed 88 percent of his passes, and won most of his duels. He was able to progress the ball and was also a threat in the final third once he and his teammates began to dominate the match.
What he put on show was a true number 8 who could dictate play, get work done defensively, and also be a key connector in the final third. It was outstanding to see and reminiscent of his Strasbourg days. Going forward, if Palmer is injured, will Santos become a full-time starter? Or is there a chance he works his way into being the midfielder beside Caicedo in games where more athleticism is needed? I’m not 100 percent sure, but one thing I do know is he is too good not to be played regularly.
Well Off-Target: Robert Sánchez and Casemiro
This game saw two moments where players made terrible decisions. It started with Robert Sánchez, who cleaned out Bryan Mbuemo four minutes into the game, forcing the referee to give him a red card. From there, manager Enzo Maresca was forced to make changes, which meant Estevão and Pedro Neto were taken off and Chelsea lost all of their attacking threat.
Manchester United then scored two goals before Casemiro gave Chelsea a chance by receiving his second yellow card in the half for dragging down the aforementioned Santos on a counterattack, bringing the game back to parity.
Chelsea then dominated the match, but luckily for Casemiro, they were only able to net one goal after having a second disallowed for offside. So his rookie mistake did not end up costing what looked like a guaranteed three points only seconds before his double yellow.
Man of the Matchday: Alex Iwobi
Fulham tend to be a team that can be difficult to beat, generally because of a decent defence and a solid pair of playmakers down the flank. One of these is Harry Wilson, but the most important player for Fulham’s attack is Alex Iwobi, who has been a legitimate difference maker in the Prem for a while now.
This weekend, against Brentford in what became a 3-1 win for the home side, Iwobi had his fingerprints all over it. He took on his man when given one-on-one opportunities and also made plenty of incisive passes that unlocked the Bees’ defence.
What really made the difference for Iwobi came after 30 minutes when he was in the right place at the right time. The ball fell to him on the edge of the six-yard box and he thumped it home emphatically to tie the game. After that, he made an excellent reverse pass to Harry Wilson, who tucked the ball into the bottom left corner to extend Fulham’s lead.
From there, he continued to be dangerous, cutting in from the left side and was critical to his team securing the 3-1 win.
Highlight Result: Tottenham vs Brighton
Tough choice for game of the matchday, but I have actually opted for a 2-2 draw between Thomas Frank’s high-flying Tottenham Hotspur and the ever-exciting Brighton Seagulls. Spurs have got off to a good start this season under their new manager, who is seemingly getting the most out of names like Richarlison and Lucas Bergvall. Meanwhile, Brighton rely on players like Paul Van Hecke, Carlos Baleba and Kaoru Mitoma to ensure they battle in the upper middle table most seasons.
In this one, Brighton came out swinging and took the lead with Yankuba Mentah finding himself one-on-one and taking it around the keeper while tapping it in with the outside of his foot. After about 20 more minutes, the Seagulls extended their lead with Yasin Ayari ripping a shot from an impossible angle that Vicario made a meal of, allowing the ball in the back of the net.
From there, Spurs put their foot down and found a goal heading into half time, with their in-form striker Richarlison putting the ball in the back of the net to halve the deficit before the break.
The game hit somewhat of a stalemate for the majority of the second half, which was then unlocked by big-time transfer Xavi Simons, who brought life to Spurs and their attack. After Spurs and Simons put pressure on Brighton, the Seagulls then broke after their veteran centre-back Paul Van Hecke knocked the ball into his own goal in the 82nd minute to make the game 2-2. The showdown ended that way, but