Premier League Matchweek 29 Awards
12 teams were not in action in matchweek 29 thanks to six of them being involved in Emirates FA Cup quarter-final ties.
The eight teams that were left did their best to entertain Premier League fans, whose attention was divided between the FA Cup and league action.
It might go under the radar thanks to the higher stakes involved in the FA Cup quarter-final ties, but Burnley beat Brentford. It was a game that had some great moments, some of which will win our awards for matchweek 29.
Here are our matchday awards after this weekend’s action.
Best Player – Rodrigo Muniz
Nobody saw it coming, but Fulham’s reserve striker has become the club’s main man.
The Cottagers’ recent successes have all been down to his efforts. He scored his second brace in seven games where he has been a starter, due to the injury suffered by Raul Jimenez.
That brace downed Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur to help Marco Silva’s side continue their push for European places.
Best XI
Fulham players dominate the Best XI for this week, based on the comprehensive manner of their victory against Champions League-chasing Tottenham. From Muniz to Alex Iwobi, to fullbacks Timothy Catagne and Antonee Robinson, Marco Silva has shown that his team have what it takes to compete in the Premier League.
Burnley’s surprise win over Brentford also produced some excellent individual displays. Arijanet Muric was especially brilliant in goal, making us wonder where he hid these talents in all of the Clarets’ struggles this season.
Here are our best XI from all across four games in week 29.
GK: Arijanet Muric – Burnley
DF: Reece Burke – Luton Town
DF: Kristoff Ajer – Brentford
DF: Timothy Castagne – Fulham
DF: Antonee Robinson – Fulham
DM: Sasa Lukic – Fulham
DM: João Palhinha – Fulham
CM: Alex Iwobi – Fulham
CM: Jacob Bruun Larsen – Burnley
AM: Morgan Gibbs-White – Nottingham Forest
CF: Rodrigo Muniz – Fulham
Best Goal
David Datro Fofana wins our best goal of the week for the second time in a row with an incredibly deft finish.
Played through by Wilson Odobert in one play, the Ivorian dinked the ball with the slightest of touches over the onrushing Mark Flekken for the relegation strugglers’ second of the afternoon.
The young striker is making a case for a permanent stay at Stamford Bridge next season as Chelsea continue their search for a striker to challenge Nicolas Jackson.
Best Game
All the games from week 29 deserve this award, but the quality on display in the Fulham vs Tottenham Hotspur match just causes that match to edge out the others.
Luton Town vs Nottingham Forest was played at a frantic pace, while Brentford and Burnley went at each other like two stubborn rams. In the end, it is Fulham’s beautiful play that even elicited applause from the travelling Spurs fans that will be the most talked about from this week.
This is why that match wins our best game award.
Best Stats
Muniz scored his second brace in four matches against Spurs, taking his tally to seven goals in his last seven starts – all of which have come because of the injury to Jimenez.
The first one was a well-thought-out goal, while the second came as a result of Calvin Bassey hitting the goal post from a corner kick.
The stat that wins our award, however, is that nobody, not even Erling Haaland, has scored more goals in a seven-match spell since the Brazilian took the job.
Best/Worst VAR decision
There were no over-the-top VAR calls this week so none won our best or worst VAR decision of the week.
Best Substitution
Luke Berry came on to rescue a point for Luton Town, who are defying all odds this season and fighting hard to stay in the Premier League.
They were unable to go above Forest but were also able to not slip up as they persevere in their relegation dogfight. This is thanks to the 85th-minute substitute Berry, who pounced on a loose ball to secure a point for the hosts.
Funniest moment of the match week
Burnley vs Brentford was filled with many comical moments. These moments happened when each team attacked the other’s goal.
The goal-line clearance from Muric was superb but the way the ball rolled past him after ricocheting off his player was just hilarious. Burnley’s first goal, a penalty scored by Bruun Larsen, was a result of a pretty silly foul that made many fans laugh.
It was indeed the weekend’s most exciting game in terms of key moments.