Premier League Team of the Month: March 2022

Another month of Premier League action comes to a close, with the final third of March being occupied by an unappreciated, but nevertheless crucial international break in deciding many of the teams who will feature at the World Cup in Qatar later this year. Internationals aside, the three weeks of domestic action in this late-season month have almost perfectly set up what should be an enthralling final few weeks of the season at both ends of the table.

At the summit, another slight Manchester City stumble combined with Liverpool extending their two-month winning run means that the title race is still as fierce as ever, with the gap at the top now cut to just a single point.

Meanwhile, Arsenal made a promising case for themselves to claim a coveted top four spot, although Tottenham remain in hot pursuit, with both of the North London sides enjoying a strong March. At the other end of proceedings, the battle to beat the drop changed from being between six or seven teams to maybe as little as four, with Brentford and Leeds United both experiencing a desperately needed uptick in form.

So many questions remain to be answered, but with such little time of the season left. Here is our star XI for March.

Team of the month – March 2022

team of the month march 2022 premier league

Formation: 4-2-3-1

GK: Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)

Aston Villa v Sheffield United - Premier League

A rocky February transitioned into a slightly improved March for Aston Villa, who climbed into the top half of the table following a month of two draws, two losses.

Their improved form went hand in hand with a better defensive record, and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was key to that. The Argentine helped Villa achieve clean sheets against Southampton and Leeds United, making stunning saves from the likes of Che Adams and Michail Antonio throughout the month.

In the eyes of many, the goalkeeper hasn’t managed to hit the heights that he achieved last season, but this month served to remind everyone of what Martinez is capable of at his very best.

RB: Matty Cash (Aston Villa)

It’s been some year for Matty Cash so far – firstly becoming an unexpected icon of the Polish national team, and now enjoying some stellar form in his club career for Aston Villa.

The right back has been a strong competitor on Villa’s flank since arriving at the club in 2020, and continued to emphasise that in March, making a total of 12 interceptions and 12 blocks in the four games to help his side achieve two clean sheets. Not only that, Cash is now beginning to have more of a concrete impact at the other end of proceedings as well, and chipped in with a goal and two assists in the early portion of the month.

The defender seems to be on a steady path of improvement, and has been a big part of Villa’s recent climb into the top half of the table.

CB: Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace)

Crystal Palace may have only taken to the field twice in March, but during those games demonstrated their solidity at the back with two clean sheets and four points. In those games, defender Marc Guehi stood out as the star of Palace’s backline, with two stellar performances.

The centre back has been quietly impressive during his debut Premier League season, and played every minute of both matches in March as Palace shut out both Wolves and league leaders Manchester City. The 21-year-old’s fine recent form in the league saw him earn his first England call up for the March internationals, and a fully deserved one at that.

CB: Joel Matip (Liverpool)

What a start to 2022 it has been for Joel Matip. Having been a cornerstone of Liverpool’s incredible winning run and the recipient of February’s Player of the Month award, the defender showed no signs of slowing down in March, turning in another batch of excellent performances.

The former Cameroon international was a rock at the back in both games that he featured in during March, starring in a backline that held firm and walked away with clean sheets in tricky away fixtures at Brighton and Arsenal. His pinpoint long pass to Luis Diaz also led to the opening goal in the Brighton game, earning Matip his second league assist of the season.

He is without doubt in the finest form of his Liverpool career, driving the team’s ever-accelerating title challenge.

LB: Andrew Robertson (Liverpool)

Andrew Robertson of Liverpool

Matip may have shone bright in Liverpool’s recent winning run, but he certainly hasn’t been alone in this regard, with fan favourite Andrew Robertson continuing to play an integral part in Liverpool’s form from left back.

The Scotland Captain featured in all three of Liverpool’s Premier League matches in March, playing every minute as the Reds achieved a 100% record with no goals conceded. As well as being a stalwart at the back, his ability down the flank is by now very well-known and he demonstrated that ability by scooping an assist at the Emirates as Liverpool overcame Arsenal.

That’s 10 assists this season now for Robertson, with team mate Trent Alexander-Arnold currently the only Premier League player ahead of him.

CDM: Thomas Partey (Arsenal)

Thomas Partey of Atletico de Madrid
MADRID, SPAIN – APRIL 02: Thomas Partey of Atletico de Madrid in action during the La Liga match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Girona FC at Wanda Metropolitano on April 02, 2019 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)

A strong March was exactly what was needed from Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, a point in the season during which the Gunners have often struggled down the years. It wasn’t quite perfect, but it was good enough to see the team assert themselves as possible favourites for a top four spot.

Midfield dynamo Thomas Partey has been the engine behind Arsenal’s recent success, having put in some exceptional performances in the centre of the park. Partey played in all four of Arsenal’s games in March and shielded the back four terrifically, making 15 tackles and nine interceptions as Arsenal achieved three victories and two clean sheets.

Not only that, the midfielder even opened the scoring in the victory over Leicester with a thumping header. Since giving a brutal self-assessment of his time at Arsenal so far in an interview earlier this season, Partey has improved immensely.

CDM: Rodrigo Bentancur (Tottenham Hotspur)

Arsenal may have enjoyed a strong March but they were not alone in that respect, with North London rivals Tottenham in hot pursuit, achieving an identical record to the Gunners of three victories, one defeat.

Whilst new boy Dejan Kulusevski has already been making waves in the Premier League since arriving in January, it has been the performances of fellow new signing Rodrigo Bentancur that have been equally impressive. Despite going somewhat under the radar, Bentancur has proven to be a considerable upgrade in the middle of the park for Spurs, performing brilliantly in the victories over Everton and Brighton in particularly, earning himself an assist in the latter.

The Uruguayan midfielder certainly looks to have been a shrewd signing from Antonio Conte’s first transfer window in charge.

CAM: Cucho Hernandez (Watford)

As their fight against relegation becomes ever-more desperate, Watford have suddenly had a new hero emerge, in the shape of Cucho Hernandez.

The young attacker has shown flashes of his talent at times this season, but took that to a new level with a goal and assist against Arsenal, including a brilliant overhead kick goal. Although it wasn’t enough to prevent a Watford defeat on that occasion, it was a sign of things to come from Hernandez, who later bagged a brace against Southampton to help the Hornets to a truly priceless win.

His upturn in form has made a huge difference to this Watford side, and If he is somehow able to inspire his teammates to an improbable survival story, he could become a true icon of Vicarage Road.

CAM: Kai Havertz (Chelsea)

Chelsea vs Manchester City Champions League final Havertz celebrates goals

It hasn’t quite been the season that many expected over at Chelsea, but the Blues did manage to win all three of their games in March to strengthen their grip on third. Champions League hero Kai Havertz may not have been at his best throughout the season, but the German fully hit his stride in March with some top-drawer performances.

Havertz bagged four goals and an assist during March, including a clinical double at Burnley and brilliant late winner to see off Newcastle at the Bridge. Now becoming ever-more influential in this Chelsea set-up, the attacking midfielder played every minute of action in March. A few more performances of this nature would only see his stock rise even higher.

ST: Ivan Toney (Brentford)

ivan toney

The early months of 2022 had become increasingly worrying ones for Brentford, who seemed to be fizzling out and sleepwalking towards the relegation zone. However, the Bees have looked rejuvenated in March, and who else was ever going to lead them towards safety other than Ivan Toney?

After enduring something of a hit-and-miss season, Toney was simply fantastic in March, helping his side achieve two absolutely vital wins and scoring five goals in the process. Brentford’s star man hit a hat-trick at Carrow Road to sink relegation rivals Norwich City, and then netted two late goals against fellow strugglers Burnley en route to another victory.

The month saw Toney almost double his Premier League goal tally from six to eleven, and if he can maintain this form Brentford will be safe and sound in no time.

ST: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) (C)

harry-kane-england-celebrate-goal-euro-2020

As is often the case with our Team of the Month, we happen to save the best till last, and this has been the scenario once again with Tottenham’s Harry Kane captaining our team.

The Spurs talisman has been in incredible form throughout the last few weeks, netting a brace in the 5-0 demolition of Everton before bagging further goals in successive games against Manchester United and Brighton. The England Captain then rounded off the month with two assists in the hugely important win over West Ham, also having a hand in Kurt Zouma’s early own goal.

From looking a shadow of himself early on in the season, Kane could yet be the man to lead Spurs back into the Champions League places.

Manager: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp

As we’ve highlighted, March was a very strong month for a number of London sides, setting up what could be an exciting end to the season throughout the capital.

However, the manager of the month award belongs not to London, but to Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp the only deserving winner of March’s accolade. From a seemingly uncatchable position at the turn of the year, Klopp’s Liverpool have slowly reeled in Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, ending March just one point behind the champions.

Even given the imperious form that the Reds are in, facing West Ham, Arsenal and Brighton certainly isn’t an easy run of fixtures by any stretch of the imagination, but Liverpool saw off all three without conceding a goal. The rejuvenation of Joel Matip and the addition of Luis Diaz has elevated this team to an even higher level, and it’s hard to see anyone slowing down Klopp and Liverpool now.

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