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Premier League Team of the Week: Yakubu, Ji Dong-Won & Stephen Ireland included after starring in wins over Manchester United, City & Chelsea
Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland and Aston Villa players dominate after impressive victories against last season's top three clubs, while Craig Bellamy also makes the cut
Jan 2, 2012 8:26:00 AM
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Players from Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland and Aston Villa dominate this week’s XI following sensational results against Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea over the weekend.
Blackburn’s two-goal hero at Old Trafford, Yakubu, is selected in our line-up for the third time this season, while match-winner Grant Hanley and defensive rock Christopher Samba are also included for Steve Kean’s men.
Three players from Sunderland also feature after their incredible win over Roberto Mancini’s side. In a fairly quiet weekend for the Premier League’s keepers, the returning Simon Mignolet is given the nod in goal, joining man-of-the-match Lee Cattermole and goalscorer Ji Dong-Won in our side.
James Collins, Richard Dunne, Stilian Petrov and Gabby Agbonlahor are unfortunate to miss out this week, but Aston Villa are represented by Marc Albrighton and Stephen Ireland, who bounced back from indifferent first halves to the campaign to star for Alex McLeish’s side at Stamford Bridge.
Elsewhere, despite being on the losing side against Blackburn, Antonio Valencia is one of two players to retain their place in our line-up. The Manchester United man remains at right-back following another decent showing in an unfamiliar position for his injury-hit side, while we stick with Leighton Baines after he provided Everton’s most attacking threat in their win over West Brom.
As well as the aforementioned Villa quartet, commiserations to Martin Skrtel, Adam Henley, Steven Gerrard, Dimitar Berbatov and Robin van Persie, who all fail to make the cut this week, but Craig Bellamy occupies the final place in our side after his brace in Liverpool’s win over Newcastle United.
Blackburn’s two-goal hero at Old Trafford, Yakubu, is selected in our line-up for the third time this season, while match-winner Grant Hanley and defensive rock Christopher Samba are also included for Steve Kean’s men.
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Three players from Sunderland also feature after their incredible win over Roberto Mancini’s side. In a fairly quiet weekend for the Premier League’s keepers, the returning Simon Mignolet is given the nod in goal, joining man-of-the-match Lee Cattermole and goalscorer Ji Dong-Won in our side.
James Collins, Richard Dunne, Stilian Petrov and Gabby Agbonlahor are unfortunate to miss out this week, but Aston Villa are represented by Marc Albrighton and Stephen Ireland, who bounced back from indifferent first halves to the campaign to star for Alex McLeish’s side at Stamford Bridge.
Elsewhere, despite being on the losing side against Blackburn, Antonio Valencia is one of two players to retain their place in our line-up. The Manchester United man remains at right-back following another decent showing in an unfamiliar position for his injury-hit side, while we stick with Leighton Baines after he provided Everton’s most attacking threat in their win over West Brom.
As well as the aforementioned Villa quartet, commiserations to Martin Skrtel, Adam Henley, Steven Gerrard, Dimitar Berbatov and Robin van Persie, who all fail to make the cut this week, but Craig Bellamy occupies the final place in our side after his brace in Liverpool’s win over Newcastle United.
| MIGNOLET |
 |
| SUNDERLAND |
| vs Man City (H) |
| Player Rating: 7.5 |
| TOTW Apps: 1 |
| VALENCIA | SAMBA | HANLEY |
BAINES |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| MAN UNITED |
BLACKBURN |
BLACKBURN |
EVERTON |
| vs Blackburn (H) | vs Man United (A) | vs Man United (A) |
vs West Brom (A) |
| Player Rating: 7 |
Player Rating: 7.5 |
Player Rating: 7.5 |
Player Rating: 7.5 |
| TOTW Apps: 3 |
TOTW Apps: 1 |
TOTW Apps: 1 |
TOTW Apps: 2 |
| ALBRIGHTON | IRELAND | CATTERMOLE |
BELLAMY |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| ASTON VILLA |
ASTON VILLA |
SUNDERLAND |
LIVERPOOL |
| vs Chelsea (A) | vs Chelsea (A) | vs Man City (H) |
vs Newcastle (H) |
| Player Rating: 8 |
Player Rating: 8.5 |
Player Rating: 8 |
Player Rating: 8 |
| TOTW Apps: 1 |
TOTW Apps: 1 |
TOTW Apps: 1 |
TOTW Apps: 2 |
| YAKUBU | JI | ||
 |
 |
||
| |
BLACKBURN |
SUNDERLAND | |
| |
vs Man United (A) | vs Man City (H) | |
| |
Player Rating: 8.5 |
Player Rating: 8 |
|
| TOTW Apps: 3 |
TOTW Apps: 1 |
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