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Garth Crooks picks Newcastle stars in PL team of the week “I could have picked anyone of their players”

5 years ago
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Garth Crooks has picked his best 11 performers from the weekend’s action.

The Premier League team of the weekend that has most impressed him

Included in his top 11 are two players from Newcastle’s 1-0 victory over Tottenham.

No prizes for guessing that it is two of the players at the back who are in his selection.

Tottenham having 80% of the possession but failing to get any joy from a very committed NUFC backline.

Picking out Martin Dubravka, Garth Crooks declares: ‘There is no doubt in my mind that the performance of the Slovakia international set the tone for an impressive victory.’

As for the rest of the Newcastle team, the BBC Sport pundit says he was spoilt for choice and could have chosen ‘anyone’ from the outfield options.

However, Garth Crooks says: ‘I’ve gone for Paul Dummett, the Geordie who epitomised the spirit of his team.”

I couldn’t have summed it up better myself. Crooks revealing the stat that Dummett made more (12) clearances than any other Newcastle player on Sunday.

Garth Crooks with his BBC Sport Premier League team of the week and reasons for selecting Martin Dubravka and Paul Dummett:

Martin Dubravka:

“The longer the game went on the better Martin Dubravka became and the more his team grew in confidence.

“To go to White Hart Lane with no points on the board, criticism ringing in your ears from two previous woeful performances and an expectant following can’t be easy.

“Nevertheless Dubravka saved well in the first half from Son Heung-min, was brilliant in the air with crosses and showed calmness and composure when it mattered.

“There is no doubt in my mind that the performance of the Slovakia international set the tone for an impressive victory.

“Did you know? Dubravka’s clean sheet for Newcastle at Spurs was his first Premier League shutout versus ‘big six’ opposition since May 2018 v Chelsea.”

Paul Dummett:

“I’ll put my cards on the table straight away.

“I called both Newcastle’s previous performances rudderless, leaderless and lacking courage. Well, against Spurs they were magnificent.

“I can’t remember seeing a team work so hard.

I could have picked anyone of their players against Tottenham but I’ve gone for Paul Dummett, the Geordie who epitomised the spirit of his team. From start to finish this lad placed himself in the heart of the battle and never wavered.

“They will not play Spurs every week though and the big question is, will they show the same courage when playing lesser teams and they are expected to win?

“That’s the next big test.

“Did you know? Dummett made more clearances (12) than any other Newcastle player against Spurs.”

Martin Dubravka (Newcastle)

Joel Matip (Liverpool)

Gary Cahill (Crystal Palace)

Paul Dummett (Newcastle)

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea)

David Silva (Man City)

Nathan Redmond (Southampton)

Sebastien Haller (West Ham)

Sergio Aguero (Man City)

Tammy Abraham (Chelsea)

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