Troy Deeney Team of the Week: Haaland, Maddison & Brighton Trio In

Troy Deeney names Erling Haaland and James Maddison in his Premier League Team of the Week, with three Brighton players included

BBC pundit Troy Deeney has selected his Premier League Team of the Week, handing places to Erling Haaland after his two-goal display against Ipswich, James Maddison on his Tottenham return and three Brighton players after a clean sheet against their nearest rivals. Fabian Hurzeler takes the manager's role.

Selections: Bart Verbruggen, Levi Colwill, Gabriel, Luka Vuskovic, Diogo Dalot, Sander Berge, Diego Gomez, Pedro Neto, Johan Manzambi, James Maddison and Erling Haaland.
Manager: Fabian Hurzeler, after Brighton's clean sheet against their nearest rivals.
Haaland: Included for the third time this season after two goals against a "really poor Ipswich team".
Brighton: Three players in the XI, the most of any club.
Maddison: Returns to the team after scoring on his comeback for Tottenham.

What was said

"I was looking at other teams, but there were so many games this week with very poor quality. Even David Raya against Forest had two shots to deal with, terrible from a goalkeeping point of view, so Verbruggen goes in for his clean sheet."
— Troy Deeney, on selecting Bart Verbruggen

"He goes in only because Chelsea got a clean sheet in the league for the first time since January. He stepped up with the young goalkeeper Mike Penders in there."
— Troy Deeney, on Levi Colwill

"Arsenal win 1-0 and get the job done. He was right at the heart of it. A lot of people talking about Ezri Konsa, I like him but Gabriel offered that bit more in terms of experience and quality that you need to get the job done, so he goes in."
— Troy Deeney, on Gabriel

"Played at left-back and I thought he was amazing. Could he offer a little more in terms of quality? Absolutely. But high energy, dealt with the physical threat, defended well and offered an outlet going forward in a game that was very scrappy."
— Troy Deeney, on Diogo Dalot

"It was a massive game against Hull, a six-pointer and if Fulham lose that they are going down in my opinion. But they got the job done and he was at the heart of everything good for them."
— Troy Deeney, on Sander Berge

"Two goals, wins the game for Chelsea. He is one of those players when you look at him you think 'he is good, but I don't know why he is good', but in this game he put it all together."
— Troy Deeney, on Pedro Neto

"By far the player of the month so far. An unbelievable young talent from Switzerland, 21 years of age, carrying this Aston Villa team with an aura and humbleness of 'I want to learn and do more', but also 'I'm the man of this team, give me the ball, let me show you what I can do'."
— Troy Deeney, on Johan Manzambi

"Welcome back James Maddison. Spurs needed a bit of quality in the final third and we were unsure who would score for them, and Maddison puts it in the top corner. Great to see him back, great to see him healthy and great to see him smiling."
— Troy Deeney, on James Maddison

"For already the third time and with probably another 10 times to go, Mr Erling Haaland. Started up top, job done, two goals against a really poor Ipswich team and he could've had a hat-trick. Unreal from him."
— Troy Deeney, on Erling Haaland

"He is doing an unbelievable job. A lot of people, including myself, were wondering whether he doing a 'pat myself on the back lap of appreciation tour' after beating Arsenal - but actually what he was showing is that he is a very good manager who can continue to deliver week in and week out."
— Troy Deeney, on Fabian Hurzeler

Deeney's reasoning is refreshingly blunt: he picked defenders for clean sheets and attackers for decisive moments. The goalkeeper and two of his three Brighton inclusions rest purely on a shutout against their nearest rivals, while the forward positions were settled by goals rather than general play.

His comments on Pedro Neto are the most interesting of the set. Deeney suggests the Chelsea winger could have a quietly productive campaign because defenders will be occupied by Morgan Rogers, Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer, leaving Neto to arrive at the back post with his pace.

Why Deeney's XI leans on clean sheets and set-piece calm

The spine of this team is defensive. Levi Colwill is included because Chelsea recorded a first league clean sheet since January, and Deeney notes he stepped up with young goalkeeper Mike Penders behind him. That is a specific, credible read: a young keeper changes how a centre-back manages risk, and Colwill apparently simplified his game rather than gambling in possession.

Gabriel gets the nod over Ezri Konsa for similar reasons of reliability. Arsenal won 1-0, and Deeney frames the Brazilian as the difference between experience and promise in a match that required game management rather than flair. The same logic applies to Diogo Dalot, whose value at left-back in a scrappy Manchester United performance was energy, physical duels and an outlet going forward rather than technical polish.

In midfield, Sander Berge is selected for a six-pointer against Hull that Deeney believes Fulham could not afford to lose without being relegated in his view. Diego Gomez needs no explanation at all — a goal from the halfway line. And Johan Manzambi, 21, is described as the player of the month so far, carrying Aston Villa with a combination of humility and authority that Deeney clearly admires.

Up front, James Maddison supplied the final-third quality Tottenham had been missing, finishing into the top corner, and Erling Haaland did what he does: started up top, scored twice against Ipswich and could have had a hat-trick. Fabian Hurzeler takes the manager's slot for backing up Brighton's win over Arsenal with a clean sheet against their nearest rivals, getting his tactics right and reintroducing players who had been out injured.

Talking points

Does a clean sheet against low-quality opposition really justify three Brighton players, or is Deeney rewarding the fixture rather than the performance?
Gabriel over Ezri Konsa is a defensible call on experience, but Konsa's composure in possession is arguably the more modern centre-back skill.
Pedro Neto as a "sneaky good" pick is smart, yet it depends entirely on Palmer, Joao Pedro and Morgan Rogers drawing the attention he describes.
Levi Colwill's inclusion rests on one clean sheet with Mike Penders in goal — is that enough for a Team of the Week place?

What happens next

Deeney will name a fresh XI after the next round of Premier League fixtures, and the pressure is now on his picks to back up the selections. Brighton's defensive unit, Chelsea's reshaped back line with Penders, and Haaland's scoring run are the three threads to track. Deeney has also invited readers to have their say using the comments form on the original page.

Frequently asked questions

Who is in Troy Deeney's Premier League Team of the Week?

Bart Verbruggen, Levi Colwill, Gabriel, Luka Vuskovic, Diogo Dalot, Sander Berge, Diego Gomez, Pedro Neto, Johan Manzambi, James Maddison and Erling Haaland, with Fabian Hurzeler as manager.