Ola Aina was named in the Premier League Team of the Week. The squad was built with a 4-4-2 formation.
David Raya was in goal, Ola Aina was at right back, Daniel Ballard and Virgil van Dijk played as centre-backs, and Gabriel Gudmundsson featured at left back.
The midfield was anchored by Pape Matar Sarr and Nico González, while the wide areas were occupied by Cody Gakpo and Mohammed Kudus. The two strikers were Richarlison and Chris Wood.
Aina’s inclusion in the Team of the Week meant he was recognized as the best right back in the Premier League this week.
The Nigerian played a crucial role in Nottingham Forest’s 3-1 win over Brentford . He had the most tackles in the match, made seven clearances, eight ball recoveries, two interceptions, and won all four of his aerial duels.
Aina, 28, reached a top speed of 32.6 kilometers per hour and covered a distance of 9.3 kilometers.
The defender also contributed to the team’s attack, making six passes into the final third and playing two accurate long balls.
Other defenders named alongside Ola Aina and reviewing their performances:
Firstly, Gabriel Gudmundsson, the 26 year old who made his debut for Leeds in their 1-0 win over Everton, was also named in the Team of the Week.
He won 100% of his tackles, made four clearances, two crucial interceptions, and completed six recoveries.
The Swedish international also contributed offensively, registering three touches in the opposition box, completing four successful dribbles out of five, making six passes into the final third, and delivering two accurate crosses into the box.
Sunderland defender Daniel Ballard impressed in his side’s 3-0 win against West Ham. It was his first Premier League appearance, and he showed experience and composure.
He scored a goal, made seven passes into the final third, and played three accurate long balls into the box.
Defensively, he excelled—winning all of his tackles, making nine clearances, and completing four ball recoveries.
Finally, Virgil van Dijk was also named in the squad. The Dutch centre-back had a solid performance in his side’s 4-2 win Bournemouth, although he made a glaring error that led to the second goal—failing to closely mark Antoine Semenyo, who went past him to score.
Aside from that, van Dijk made 17 clearances, two interceptions, and four recoveries. He also completed nine passes into the final third. The Liverpool skipper covered a distance of 9.0 km and reached a top speed of 29.9 km/h.
