Who has made Troy's Premier League team of the week? — SkimNews
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- Troy Deeney filled his XI after a matchweek he described as featuring "so many games this week with very poor quality," singling out even Arsenal's David Raya against Forest as "terrible from a goalkeeping point of view."
- Brighton dominates the team with three selections — goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, defender Luka Vuskovic, and forward Diego Gomez — after Gomez scored from the halfway line and the club recorded a clean sheet against their nearest rivals.
- Erling Haaland earns Deeney's nod "for already the third time" this season after scoring twice against Ipswich, with Deeney noting "he could've had a hat-trick" and writing "Mr Erling Haaland. Started up top, job done."
- Pedro Neto (Chelsea) is picked for a two-goal game-winning performance, with Deeney suggesting Neto could "have a sneaky good season" as Morgan Rogers, Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer draw defensive attention away from him.
- James Maddison (Tottenham) is welcomed back into the XI on his return, scoring in the top corner to address Deeney's concern that "we were unsure who would score for [Spurs]."
- Johan Manzambi (Aston Villa) is hailed as "by far the player of the month so far," a 21-year-old Swiss talent Deeney said is carrying Villa with "aura and humbleness" of a player who says "I'm the man of this team."
- Fabian Hurzeler (Brighton) is named Manager of the Week, with Deeney conceding he "was wondering whether he [was] doing a 'pat myself on the back lap of appreciation tour'" after beating Arsenal — before concluding Hurzeler "got the tactics spot on."
Why it matters: With Brighton supplying three of Deeney's XI and Haaland making the cut for a third time, the column offers a public barometer of which clubs and individuals are producing standout form — Deeney's repeated praise for Brighton's depth and Haaland's finishing doubles as a verdict that fans then debate in the comments.
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