The 6 best players of Premier League Gameweek 31 - ranked
- Premier League Gameweek 31 provided plenty of thrills
- Emile Smith Rowe, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Alejandro Garnacho among those to impress
- The six best players from the action in midweek ranked
By Sean Walsh
Once the clocks go forward in the UK, we truly enter the last knockings of a Premier League season.
The action hasn't disappointed thus far, with a full round of midweek fixtures serving us up plenty of treats, thrills and spills.
Here are the best players from Gameweek 31, ranked.
6. Emile Smith Rowe (Arsenal)
Due to injuries and other players climbing up the pecking order, Emile Smith Rowe has seldom been afforded meaningful game time since his impressive breakout campaign of 2021/22.
He was given a rare start for Arsenal's meeting with Luton Town on Wednesday night and he grabbed the opportunity by the horns, dancing his way through midfield to deliver a performance which proves he has a use in this title run-in.
5. Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest)
Nottingham Forest's fast start in Tuesday's meeting with Fulham forced visiting manager Marco Silva into a triple substitution in the first half.
The Reds were already 2-0 up at that point in large part thanks to the efforts of Morgan Gibbs-White, who assisted Callum Hudson-Odoi's opener and then grabbed a goal for himself to extend the lead to three before the break.
Tosin Adarabioyo grabbed a consolation after the interval but the damage, largely inflicted by Gibbs-White, had already been done.
4. Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool)
For the first half of the season, Alexis Mac Allister looked rather lost in Liverpool's midfield.
But the Argentine World Cup winner has looked like his old self in the last few months, stepping up when it matters most and cementing his status as one of Jurgen Klopp's key players.
Mac Allister's rise continued on Thursday with a thumping strike in Liverpool's 3-1 triumph at home to Sheffield United, putting the Reds back in front late on when they needed a real moment of inspiration to break down their dogged visitors.
3. Alejandro Garnacho (Man Utd)
When Alejandro Garnacho was subbed off in the 86th minute of Manchester United's trip to Chelsea with his side 3-2 up, it seemed inconceivable he would end the night as a loser.
TNT Sports initially named the winger as the Player of the Match for his tremendous and seemingly match-winning brace, becoming United's joint-top scorer in the Premier League for the season.
It wasn't to be for Garnacho and his teammates, however...
2. Cole Palmer (Chelsea)
Garnacho's night was ruined by the heroics of Cole Palmer, who scored in the 100th and 101st minutes to earn Chelsea a 4-3 win at the very last.
Palmer had put the Blues two up in the first half after scoring from the penalty spot, only for his side to crumble and concede three times before the remarkable finish.
He scored again from 12 yards before his deflected effort from a corner sailed past United goalkeeper Andre Onana and sent Stamford Bridge wild.
1. Phil Foden (Man City)
What a season it's been for Phil Foden.
The 23-year-old stood tall again on Wednesday when his hat-trick propelled Manchester City to a much-needed 4-1 victory at home to Aston Villa.
After Jhon Duran cancelled out Rodri's opener, Foden brought City level on the stroke of half-time with a direct free-kick from the edge of the box.
Foden then secured his second with a low finish just after the hour mark before sealing the three points courtesy of a 25-yard piledriver. While slipping over. Some talent, that.
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