Garth Crooks

The Team of the Week is given to you at the end of each game.

This time, who has he chosen? Pick your own team from the list below. He has his say on the game's big talking points.

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Garth Crooks' Team of the week: Nick Pope, Ethan Pinnock, Cristian Romero, Dan Burn, Luke Shaw, Pascal Gross, Casemiro, Kevin de Bruyne, Yoane Wissa, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Harry KaneGoalkeeper

Nick Pope (Newcastle)

Nick Pope was brilliant when he was called upon and kept his team in the game.

If three points were added to the board, it would have made a big difference to the table.

Eddie Howe's side of 2022, the most improved side, took on the biggest test of their lives.

Pope saved Eddie Nketiah from certain death. Pope and his teammates are going to be looked at seriously. They are getting used to the large games.

Defenders

Ethan Pinnock (Brentford)

For the second week in a row, I found myself selecting a teammate.

His performance against a side who were battered in the first half, then tried to fight back in parts of the second, was the same as the one I saw him in against West Ham a few days before.

I thought he might struggle in the premier league, but he seems to have grown in confidence.

I have some doubts about the team. If they want to have a chance of getting a top-four place this season, they need to change the way they play in the middle of the park.

Cristian Romero (Tottenham)

There is a clean sheet. Spurs haven't had a lot of those recently.

Things are starting to look better for Spurs now that they have a World Cup winner.

The Argentine defender seemed to bring the same confidence to Selhurst Park that he did in his country.

Spurs have been struggling in games recently, particularly in defence, but the presence of Romero made a difference against a Palace side who dominated the first half.

It has been a long time since Spurs had World Cup winning players.

It's usually a positive sign.

Dan Burn (Newcastle)

Dan Burn is having a great season.

Since arriving at St James' Park, the defender has been at the center of their defensive displays.

The six consecutive clean sheets and two goals conceded in the last 11 games is a good indicator of how far the team has come.

Mikel Arteta blew a fire when the penalty appeal was denied because of Burn's challenge on Gabriel. He doesn't complain when his team gets a disputed penalty.

Arteta is looking ridiculous because of his hysterics on the touchline. A cooler head from their manager could have made a difference.

Luke Shaw (Manchester United)

This is the best season of Shaw's career. While he was on World Cup duty for Argentina, he was outstanding at filling in for Lisandro.

Shaw was back at full-back for United and he was inspiring.

Shaw scored at his best. He began the move in his own half and finished it with ease.

Before the World Cup, Bournemouth had a lot to gain.

I didn't think they would beat Manchester United, but they need to get back to their best.

Midfielders

Pascal Gross (Brighton)

I couldn't think of a better way to start a team than with a win at Goodison Park.

There were a number of notable performances from the Seagulls, but the goal by Pascal Gross was my favourite and it has put the tenure of the manager on the skid row.

After getting a well-earned point at Manchester City, there was enough motivation to go into a game against Seagulls expecting a better result.

It was a sham. I told you before the World Cup break that I expected Lampard's time atEverton to be short term.

Casemiro (Manchester United)

The arrival of Casemiro at Manchester United has been more important than the departure of CR7

The Brazilian has taken his time to become part of the United set-up and appears to have made no demands on the club.

The same cannot be said of him. Casemiro has been able to steer the Reds back to the top four with the possibility of qualification for the playoffs now a distinct possibility.

Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)

I'm starting to believe that the job is too large for Graham Potter. The Blues are 10th in the table and are unlikely to finish in the top four.

At the time, I said that his appointment was a big ask because he has never been able to win a trophy as a manager.

There is a man who has and a man who hasn't. There are four changes to the starting line-up, but one player that is the perfect team player is not going to be replaced by the other players.

Kevin de Bruyne could have shot when Jack Grealish gave him the ball.

With De Bruyne in their team, anything is possible and that's why they aren't sure if they're going to win the title.

Forwards

Yoane Wissa (Brentford)

This wasn't the same as the one I saw the other day. This was very similar to the way the Reds were thrashed at the Cottage earlier in the year.

They looked like they didn't have to compete in order to get the points.

When a team is prepared for battle and is not intimidated by reputations, a proper contest can be had.

Yoane Wissa was the player who led the charge for the team.

He wasn't upset when his previous goals were ruled off-side.

Wissa was rewarded for his perseverance when his goal was judged to have crossed the line.

It's nice to see VAR doing its job well.

Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham)

The ball from Willian, who has found his form again after an awful time at Corinthians, was superb and dispatched by Mitrovic with the sort of confidence that suggests the forward is on top of his game.

I don't recall when I've seen a transformation like that in a forward.

He has always been a handful for centre-backs and commanding in the air, but now he is a lethal centre-forward.

The goal he scored against a side that was badly affected by the World Cup was of the best quality.

If they don't find the back of the net soon, they could be in trouble.

Harry Kane (Tottenham)

The Spurs looked completely different with Harry Kane up front.

Kane's instincts and appetite for goals were too much for Palace in the first half.

When I selected Kane in my team, I said that it was important for him to return to work without being scarred by the World Cup, because it was so important for Spurs.

Since his return, his displays have been excellent.

Spurs are lucky to have a player of this caliber.

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The Crooks of the Matter

I was taken aback by the suggestion that referees have always struggled to get ex- players involved in their work.

I don't know where he got that information, but I can assure him that it's not the case.

I addressed the Referees' Association annual conference when I was chairman of the PFC.

I asked them to give ex-Professional Footballers with Exemptions for their Years of Service and have them fast-tracked into the system.

It was thought that officials could be helped by adding ex- players to their roster.

My speech was well received, but their answer was no.

The Association felt that they would be swamped by former professional players once players were allowed to become referees.

I'm delighted that the new boss of the English Football League feels so inclined to bring down the drawbridge that he needs to apologize to the Professional Footballers' Association.

He can change the situation by talking to the union about getting ex- professional players into playing officials. He can't do much more.

You can pick your XI from our list.

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