Premier League Team of the Week: Gabriel, Nicolas Jackson, Mathys Tel

The archetypal large twist of the 2026-27 Premier League rubric contention took spot successful gameweek eight, arsenic Manchester City's cleanable commencement to the run came to a bitter extremity successful a 2-1 nonaccomplishment to Unai Emery's Aston Villa.

The Sky Blues inactive beryllium astatine the acme of the Premier League standings, but lone extremity quality is separating them from reigning champions Arsenal, whose 2-0 triumph implicit Everton drew them level with Enzo Maresca's men connected 21 points.

Brighton & Hove Albion stay successful the bronze medal presumption contempt going down 2-0 to Liverpool, who person leapfrogged Chelsea into the coveted 4th spot aft the Blues' daze 2-0 location nonaccomplishment to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Brentford squandered the accidental to determination level connected 13 points with Chelsea arsenic they were held to a 1-1 gully by Hull City, and Leeds United likewise failed to capitalise connected the Bees' slip-up, lone mustering a goalless stalemate astatine Sunderland.

Newcastle United articulation Leeds, Brentford and Villa connected 11 points aft a straightforward 2-0 occurrence astatine Crystal Palace, bumping Ipswich Town retired of the apical fractional aft the Tractor Boys' 1-1 gully with Nottingham Forest.

Elsewhere successful the bottommost half, Michael Carrick's 2nd Manchester United reign whitethorn precise good beryllium successful tatters aft a shocking 3-0 nonaccomplishment to Bournemouth, portion Fulham eased the unit connected Alvaro Arbeloa erstwhile much by eking retired a 1-0 triumph astatine Coventry City.

Here, Sports Mole presents the Premier League Team of the Week for circular 8 of the 2026-27 season.

Premier League Team of the Week

GK: James Trafford (Leeds United)

Staking his assertion for the England fig 1 garment up of November's planetary break, James Trafford repelled Sunderland clip and clip again during Leeds' hard-fought draw, making 4 saves, 3 precocious claims and 12 recoveries astatine the Stadium of Light.

RB: Daniel Munoz (Nottingham Forest)

"The decorativeness is BRILLIANT!" Neco Williams fires Nottingham Forest successful beforehand ? https://t.co/i9bOGC7ReT

The full-backs stole the amusement for Nottingham Forest against Ipswich, arsenic Daniel Munoz delivered the assistance for Neco Williams's opener and besides won 4 of his 5 tackles astatine Portman Road.

CB: Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal)

Marking his 200th Premier League quality with a Premier League first, Arsenal stone Gabriel Magalhaes scored his archetypal non set-piece extremity successful the English apical flight, successful summation to making a staggering 14 antiaircraft contributions against Everton.

CB: James Hill (Bournemouth)

Gabriel's 14 antiaircraft contributions airy successful examination to James Hill's outstanding feats for Bournemouth against Man Utd, though, comprising six tackles, 4 interceptions, 7 clearances - 2 of which were disconnected the enactment - 4 blocks and 3 recoveries successful the Cherries' latest three-goal Old Trafford triumph.

LB: Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest)

Latching onto the extremity of Munoz's delightful transverse with an adjacent much delightful finish, Williams executed his Ipswich volley to perfection to enactment Forest up connected Friday night, portion besides creating 2 chances successful the two-goal stalemate.

CM: Marcus Tavernier (Bournemouth)

Bournemouth person a second! ? Leny Yoro's gaffe allows Adrien Truffert to rotation the shot to Marcus Tavernier who makes nary mistake! https://t.co/WdbaJtEu29

The Theatre of Dreams has been James Tavernier's playground successful caller seasons; the Bournemouth attacker provided 2 assists successful a 3-0 triumph successful 2023, scored and assisted successful past year's 4-4 stalemate, and doubled the Cherries' pb successful Sunday's thrilling victory.

CM: John McGinn (Aston Villa)

Home wins against Man City are present breadstuff and food for Aston Villa and John McGinn, who teed up Nicolas Jackson's opening extremity and created 4 chances successful full against the existent league leaders.

CM: Julio Enciso (Ipswich)

After forcing Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic into a uncommon mistake, Julio Enciso made nary specified mistake erstwhile one-on-one with Matz Sels, convincingly drafting Ipswich level with his archetypal top-flight extremity of the campaign.

RW: Oscar Bobb (Fulham)

In a crippled mostly devoid of idiosyncratic shining lights, Oscar Bobb provided the 1 decisive infinitesimal for Fulham against Coventry, skilfully moving the space for a onslaught and uncovering the acold country with aplomb.

ST: Nicolas Jackson (Aston Villa)

What a onslaught from Nicolas Jackson to bushed Gianluigi Donnarumma ? Villa Park erupts ? ? Stream present connected TNT Sports & HBO Max https://t.co/fRCRh6tXYB https://t.co/zkuDVMevKF

A penny for a Joao Pedro-less Chelsea's thoughts arsenic Jackson produced his latest Lions masterclass against City, beating Gianluigi Donnarumma astatine his adjacent station earlier squirming the shot underneath the Italian to drawback the Sky Blues' 100% commencement to the season.

LW: Mathys Tel (Tottenham)

Brought backmost into the Spurs XI astatine the disbursal of Dominic Solanke, Mathys Tel justified Roberto De Zerbi's initially arguable telephone with a perfectly-placed onslaught astatine Stamford Bridge, wherever helium besides completed 4 dribbles to assistance tally the Chelsea defence ragged.