Premier League Team of the Week: Emmanuel Adebayor, Louis Saha & Luka Modric lead the way as Tottenham star

Benoit Assou-Ekotto rounds off a Spurs quartet, whilst Joe Hart and Joleon Lescott both feature as Manchester City return to the Premier League summit

13 Feb 2012 08:15:00

More On :  Blackburn Rovers, Fulham, Manchester City, Norwich City, Tottenham, Joleon Lescott, Louis Saha, Clint Dempsey, Joe Hart, Emmanuel Adebayor, Luka Modric
Louis Saha & Niko Kranjcar
Getty Images

Tottenham lead the way in our TOTW following their 5-0 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday, with no fewer than four Spurs players included.

On-loan Manchester City forward Emmanuel Adebayor assumed a starring role as he tore apart the Magpies' defence, supplying four assists before scoring with a volleyed effort to round off a miserable evening for Alan Pardew’s side.

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White Hart Lane new boy Louis Saha was one of the main beneficiaries of the Togo striker’s sublime showing, as the 33-year-old scored twice in the space of 15 minutes to cap a fine debut performance which results in the Frenchman’s first TOTW appearance this season. Grant Holt’s second-half double for Norwich City sees the 30-year-old round off our forward three.

Luka Modric was once again dominant in midfield for Spurs, combining well with Scott Parker to easily overshadow a weak Newcastle midfield, and the Croatian features for the sixth time in our TOTW.

Lining up alongside the Spurs man in the centre is Blackburn’s Steven N’Zonzi, who guided Steve Kean’s side to a vital 3-2 win over QPR on Saturday, while American midfielder Clint Dempsey continues to go from strength to strength at Fulham with another fine display in the 2-1 victory at home to Stoke City.

Despite strong showings from Niko Krancjar, Manchester City’s David Silva, United’s Antonio Valencia, and a sublime substitute performance from Jamie Mackie in which the QPR man grabbed a brace, the midfield men do not make the cut.

Bacary Sagna features at right-back following Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over Sunderland, with the Frenchman quickly becoming accustomed to the cut and thrust of the Premier League following his return from a broken leg.

Manchester City goalscorer Joleon Lescott lines up at centre-back alongside West Brom’s Jonas Olsson, while Benoit Assou-Ekotto rounds off our defence and Spurs quartet at left-back.

City stopper Joe Hart is rewarded for a number of late saves to ensure the league leaders held their 1-0 advantage over Aston Villa, securing his second TOTW performance as Roberto Mancini’s side returned to the summit of the Premier League.

Honourable mentions must go to Sunderland’s John O’Shea and Fulham’s Brede Hangeland in defence, while West Brom’s hat-trick hero Peter Odemwingie, Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney and Swansea’s Danny Graham – who both grabbed braces – all just miss out up front.

HART
MAN CITY
 vs Aston Villa (A)
 Player Rating: 7.5
 TOTW Apps: 2

SAGNA OLSSON LESCOTT
 ASSOU-EKOTTO
 ARSENAL
 WEST BROM
 MAN CITY TOTTENHAM
 vs Sunderland (A) vs Wolves (A) vs Aston Villa (A)
vs Newcastle (H)
 Player Rating: 7.0 Player Rating: 8.0 Player Rating: 8.0 Player Rating: 7.5
TOTW Apps: 1
 TOTW Apps: 1
 TOTW Apps: 1
 TOTW Apps: 2

MODRIC N'ZONZI DEMPSEY
 TOTTENHAM
  BLACKBURN FULHAM
 vs Newcastle (H) vs QPR (H)  vs Stoke City (H)
Player Rating: 8.0 Player Rating:  8.0 Player Rating: 8.0
TOTW Apps: 6
 TOTW Apps: 2
 TOTW Apps: 3

HOLT ADEBAYOR SAHA
 NORWICH
  TOTTENHAM TOTTENHAM
 vs Swansea (A) vs Newcastle (H)  vs Newcastle (H)
Player Rating: 8.5 Player Rating:  9.0 Player Rating: 8.5
TOTW Apps: 1
 TOTW Apps: 4
 TOTW Apps: 1

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England 1-0 Belgium, Netherlands 2-0 Northern Ireland - follow all the international action LIVE! ahead of Euro 2012
With countries across the continent gearing up for their final warm-up games ahead of Euro 2012, join us for all the action from Saturday's friendlies. Get in touch with us via Twitter with your reaction.

Hosted by Joe Doyle
19:38 BST
Here's Roy Hodgson's reaction to the result and some injury chat: "I'm very pleased, it's been a hard week and we've used a lot of players. There was a lot of disruption in the second-half with substitutions – some forced upon us, some we wanted to do. But it's still a very good end to the week playing against a good Belgian team here. Arguably even stronger than the Norwegian team we played last week and I've got to be more than happy that we've come out with another victory."

"[Gary] Cahill I suppose is slightly more of a concern for me because it is a jaw injury. We're desperately hoping the CT scan doesn't show any fracture and it's just going to be a bruising situation, which will be bad enough, but won't stop him taking part in the tournament. As far as John's [Terry] concerned he felt his hamstring a little bit. Again it wasn't a major thing when he came off but we still need to scan it just to be 100 per cent sure."

Suffice to say, if Cahill has broken his jaw, he won't play any part in the tournament.
19:35 BST
And another point from today: Eden Hazard wasn't great. Don't think you can judge him on one performance though. What do you think? Is it just a case of too much hype around the Chelsea-bound Belgian?
19:32 BST
We're getting plenty of people saying it was boring. PLENTY. But Spain scored seven goals in eight games at the World Cup and I didn't hear too many of their fans complaining. Or as Fran Stinchcombe points out on Twitter: "If we had lost but played free flowing attacking football would these people still have moaned?"
19:24 BST
No, no, no. I'll have none of that Emile Heskey shouting anymore! Hello, it's me, it's me, it's that D-O-Y-L-E. Yes, I'm Joe Doyle, and I'll be here for all the reaction to that England game. First things first, how did everyone see that game? Good performance? A touch boring? Let me know on Twitter.
19:17 BST
Right, that’s me, Danny Hart, done. Joe Doyle is itching to retain his LIVE! crown for the evening. England reaction, Netherlands-Northern Ireland updates and much, much more - Doyle will be across it all. England are gonna win the Euros! And remember: EMILE HESKEY. Cheerio!
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