Team of the Week: Minamino and Marmoush Shine While Merino Becomes Arsenal’s Unexpected Star

What an exhilarating weekend it was in the world’s premier football leagues! Among a host of standout performers were Omar Marmoush (26) and Takumi Minamino (30). As is customary, our internal ratings system has helped us compile a top XI from all the thrilling action.

Presenting our latest Team of the Week:

Goalkeeper 

Vasilios Barkas (Utrecht) 9.8

Utrecht relied heavily on Barkas this weekend as Ron Jans’ squad fought bravely to secure a commendable 2-2 draw against PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie.

The Greek goalkeeper delivered an outstanding performance, making a staggering 15 saves—the highest recorded by a keeper in the Dutch top division since March 2018.

Defence

Abdelhamid Sabiri (Al Taawon) 9.1

Al Taawon soared above Al Khaleej in the Saudi Pro League after a late 1-0 triumph on Saturday.

Sabiri clinched the winning goal for the visitors in his third match, striking a half-volley into the bottom corner to ignite celebrations in Dammam.

Arda Kizildag (Gaziantep) 8.7

Kizildag chose the perfect occasion to score his first of the season, heading in Deian Sorescu’s cross to secure a dramatic stoppage-time win for Gaziantep.

The Turkish centre-back was pivotal defensively too, winning nine aerial duels and contributing key tackles.

Mohannad Abu Taha (Al Orubah) 9.2

Following a resilient 2-0 win over Al Kholood, Al Orubah expanded their gap from the relegation zone.

Abu Taha showcased an impressive all-round performance at left-back, making crucial interceptions and scoring to clinch all three points.

Midfield

Yankuba Minteh (Brighton) 9.1

Brighton achieved their second victory over Chelsea in just six days as Minteh’s brace propelled the Seagulls to a resounding 3-0 win in the Premier League.

Alongside his two skillful goals, the Gambian consistently threatened the Chelsea backline, winning 12 duels and completing three key passes during his 89 minutes of play.

Takumi Minamino (Monaco) 9.1

After experiencing back-to-back defeats against PSG and Benfica, Monaco bounced back in style with a comprehensive 7-1 victory over 10-man Nantes in Ligue 1.

Minamino played a central role, contributing to Monaco’s first three goals, netting with a well-placed shot just before half-time, thus recording his fourth goal of the season.

Fabian Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain) 8.9

PSG continued to maintain a solid 10-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Toulouse on Saturday night.

Ruiz emerged as the difference-maker for Luis Enrique’s men, scoring after Willian Pacho’s header rebounded off the crossbar and fell perfectly for him to tap in from close range.

Omar Marmoush (Manchester City) 9.9

Marmoush enjoyed a sensational weekend, making a remarkable entrance into the Premier League with a first-half hat-trick during Manchester City’s dominant 4-0 victory against Newcastle.

The Egyptian forward kicked off the scoring with a delicately lobbed finish over Martin Dubravka before adding two more polished goals to complete his hat-trick, achieving a near-flawless rating of 9.9.

Alanzinho (Moreirense) 9.2

Moreirense distanced themselves from the relegation battle in the Portuguese Primeira Liga, thanks to Alanzinho’s hat-trick securing a 3-2 victory against sixth-placed Casa Pia.

The Brazilian midfielder netted two penalties early on and capped off his hat-trick with a stunning low shot from 25 yards.

Attack

Lukas Haraslin (Sparta Prague) 9.7

Sparta Prague achieved a third consecutive win in the Chance Liga, coming from behind to defeat Karvina in a thrilling five-goal encounter.

Haraslin was instrumental in the turnaround, scoring three remarkable goals to reach double figures for the season across all competitions.

Mikel Merino (Arsenal) 9.0

In the face of dwindling options, Arsenal appeared set for a painful draw against relegation-battlers Leicester until Mikel Arteta summoned Merino from the bench with just over 20 minutes left.

Shifting to a striking role, Merino repaid his manager’s faith with an outstanding display, breaking the deadlock with a precise header and then slotting the ball into the bottom corner to seal a stunning comeback.