Super Eagles: Taiwo Awoniyi joins Gyokeres in Deeney’s Team of the Week

Super Eagles and Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi has been included in Troy Deeney’s BBC Matchday 35 Team of the Week after scoring a brace against Chelsea yesterday evening, Afrik Foot reports.

The 28-year-old started his second Premier League game of the season in what was a heavily rotated Forest side against the Blues at Stamford Bridge.

It took the former Union Berlin striker just 97 seconds to head home from Dilane Bakwa’s cross, scoring either side of Igor Jesus’ penalty to secure a fifth straight win across all competitions for Vitor Pereira’s men.

Taiwo Awoniyi makes Premier League Team of the Week

Deeney, famously known as a Watford striker before he hung up his boots, took up punditry with the BBC and is now tasked with picking the BBC Team of the Week.

In goal, the Englishman opted for Nottingham Forest’s Matz Sels, who made crucial saves in his side’s 3-1 win over Chelsea.

The Belgian denied Cole Palmer from twelve yards, and genuinely looked like he would go home with a clean sheet before he was beaten from Joao Pedro’s bicycle kick.

In a back three, Deeney opted for Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko, who was very physical against Antoine Semenyo as they played up a 3-3 draw against Manchester City last night.

Micky Van de Ven joins the Ukrainian and Marcos Senesi in the BBC Team of the Week’s backline.

Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo is the midfield spotlight after celebrating his new contract with a brilliant display in his side’s 3-2 win over Liverpool.

“When you look at the back end of the season compared to the start of the season, it has been night and day. It just shows what a bit of love and care can do to somebody.

“I’m not willing to say Mainoo is the man yet – I think we have to see more of a body of work – but I would say the win against Liverpool was the best performance I’ve seen him have in a United shirt.

“Dominated the game, made some big tackles, passing forward, breaking up the play but also coming with the goal. The most complete performance from him, I thought he was excellent,” Deeney wrote about the youngster.

Mainoo is joined by the Tottenham Hotspur duo, Mathys Tel and Connor Gallagher. Tel set up Gallagher’s goal in their 2-1 win over Aston Villa over the weekend.

Dominik Szoboszlai was the only spark for a lacklustre Liverpool side at Old Trafford on Sunday evening.

The Hungarian scored and set up Cody Gakpo’s equaliser, before Kobbi Mainoo took all of the glory in front of the Stretford End.

Jeremy Doku’s brilliant display against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium secured his spot in Deeney’s team.

The Belgian winger was simply unplayable against David Moyes’ side. After breaking the deadlock with a brilliant left-footed curler just before the end of the first half, Doku sealed a vital point for Manchester City with another curler in the 97th minute for Pep Guardiola’s men.

In attack, Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres leads the line, after what was arguably his best performance for the Gunners this season against Fulham. The former Sporting Lisbon striker scored a brace, while setting up Bukayo Saka’s goal as well.

“A big performance from him. Only his second start of the season for Forest,” Deeney wrote about Taiwo Awoniyi.

“I saw him earlier in the season against Chelsea and he looked like he was carrying a wagon, like he couldn’t play football any more, but playing this Chelsea team, how the roles have reversed. He looked fantastic – two goals, powerful performance.

Awoniyi took his opportunity against an out-of-form Chelsea side, scoring a brace against the Blues for the second time in his career.

Nottingham Forest head coach Vitor Pereira was also Deeney’s pick for the Coach of the Week.