Spurs favourite Romero partners Chelsea centre-back in Premier League team of the week
Chelsea and Tottenham played out an entertaining 2-2 draw on Sunday and the London pair are both represented in the Premier League team of the week. London rivals Arsenal also have one player make the cut, while Nottingham Forest, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester City make up the rest of the XI.
Dean Henderson (Nottingham Forest) - 8.32
Nottingham Forest marked their first home Premier League match in 23 years with a 1-0 win over West Ham. Taiwo Awoniyi scored the decisive goal on the stroke of half time, but it was Dean Henderson who deserves much of the credit. The 25-year-old made four saves in all, including a second half penalty stop to deny Declan Rice, to feature between the sticks with a WhoScored rating of 8.32.
Reece James is the first of two Chelsea representatives to make the Premier League team of the week. The England international thought he'd won Sunday's London derby against Tottenham after his second half strike, and he was unfortunate not to add an assist as Kai Havertz somehow turned James' wonderful cross wide. With an additional three tackles, the Blues youngster is a worthy inclusion in this XI with a WhoSored rating of 7.83.
Cristian Romero (Tottenham) - 7.63
Tottenham, like rivals Chelsea, have two players make the Premier League team of the week. Cristian Romero didn't win himself any fans at Stamford Bridge for his hair pull on Marc Cucurella late on in Spurs' 2-2 draw with Chelsea, but the Argentine was superb at the back for Antonio Conte's side. Indeed, Romero brought the ball out from the back well, completing three dribbles, all the while making seven tackles, five clearances and one interception to return a WhoScored rating of 7.63.
Kalidou Koulibaly (Chelsea) - 7.88
Conversely, Kalidou Koulibaly won himself a legion of admirers on his home Chelsea debut as he put the Blues ahead midway through the first half on Sunday. The Senegal star managed three shots in total in the 2-2 draw and was sound defensively as he made four tackles, two clearances and one interception to partner Romero at the back having earned a WhoScored rating of 7.88.
Rounding off the defence is the first of two Leeds players. Pascal Struijk put in a man of the match showing as the Whites played out a 2-2 draw at Southampton, with the defender providing the assist for Rodrigo's second, that coming from his only key pass. With seven aerial duels won and six tackles, Struijk was good value for his WhoScored rating of 8.23 at St. Mary's.
Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest) - 8.56
The second Nottingham Forest player in the side, Neco Williams won the WhoScored man of the match award in their 1-0 win over West Ham having garnered a WhoScored rating of 8.56. Williams made four clearances in all, including one off the line in the second half, and chipped in with six tackles and one interception. The Forest summer arrival got forward well too as he made two key passes and completed two dribbles to secure his spot in the XI.
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) - 9.23
With a WhoScored rating of 9.23, Kevin De Bruyne is the Premier League player of the week. De Bruyne had a direct hand in two of Manchester City's four goals in their comfortable win over Bournemouth on Saturday, getting on the scoresheet on the half hour mark before turning provider for Phil Foden minutes later. Those came from respective returns of four shots and five key passes to cap a superb showing from the Belgian.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Tottenham) - 8.30
Joining De Bruyne in the middle of the park in this XI is Tottenham man Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. The Dane scored Spurs' first equaliser on the day, tucking past Edouard Mendy with his only shot midway through the second half. He battled hard in the midfield, making four tackles and six clearances, to land the WhoScored man of the match with a rating of 8.30 in what proved to be a heated derby.
Luis Diaz only scored four league goals in the second half of last season following his January arrival from FC Porto, but he marked his first home start of the campaign with a stunning effort on the hour mark. 10-man Liverpool were struggling to break Crystal Palace down on Monday night, yet Diaz fired the Reds level with one of three shots. The Colombian winger also completed seven dribbles to nail down the left wing spot with a WhoScored rating of 8.84.
Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) - 8.93
Arsenal eased to a 4-2 win over Leicester on Saturday afternoon with Gabriel Jesus putting in an excellent performance on the frontline. Jesus had a direct hand in all four Arsenal goals against the Foxes, netting twice in the first half and then turning provider in the second for Granit Xhaka and Takehiro Tomiyasu. Those came from respective returns of seven shots and three key passes that helped the Brazilian to a WhoScored rating of 8.93.
Rodrigo only netted six times in the Premier League last season, yet is now halfway to matching that total after just two games in 2022/23. The Spaniard bagged a brace at Saints on Saturday, finding a way past Gavin Bazunu with two of five shots. Had his Leeds teammates sported their shooting boots, then Rodrigo would have had an assist too as he created three goalscoring opportunities to round off the Premier League team of the week with a WhoScored rating of 8.18.
