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TOTWTOTW 19 Predicted Starting XI
With most leagues in action twice, either through cup fixtures or two sets of league matches, there were plenty of games to select from. Bizarrely, that didn’t translate into many standout performances. Instead, the focus falls on big matches, including Mbuemo’s Manchester Derby display, Jefte’s cup upset over Madrid, while major featured options in Rabiot and Sanchez lead the way.
GK: Robert Sanchez (Chelsea) - 78 OVR -> 86 OVR:
There were only a couple of realistic goalkeeper options this week, and while the Premier League is a division that often gets snubbed for this position, Sanchez claimed a 9/10 for his performance during Chelsea's 2-0 win over Brentford, making several key saves to keep his clean sheet.
LB: Esmee Brugts (Barcelona) - 80 OVR -> 86 OVR:
With Pina unable to receive an IF this week due to her inclusion in TOTY, it leaves the door open for Brugts to receive her SIF of the game. The Dutch defender scored one of Barcelona's five goals as they continue to assert dominance in the division with a 5-0 home win over Atletico Madrid.
CB: Nico Schlotterbeck (Dortmund) - 85 OVR -> 87 OVR:
The Bundesliga had two full sets of fixtures this week, which means there are several candidates for this week’s side. One of those is Schlotterbeck. The German scored one of Dortmund's three goals during their midweek fixture, a 3-0 home win over Bremen. Adeyemi will be a popular choice from their weekend match, but with a poor match rating to his name, my punt goes the way of Schlotterbeck.
LB: Olga Carmona (PSG) - 84 OVR -> 86 OVR:
It's usually the case that both Lyonnes and PSG run away from the chasing pack in this division, but the latter of those two sides are struggling this season, in comparison to their usual standards that is. A 4-0 away win puts them into fourth, with Carmona's goal and assist during the win playing a key role in securing the victory.
LM: Goncalo Guedes (Real Sociedad) - 75 OVR -> 86 OVR:
There were several upsets this week, one of which was Sociedad beating Barcelona 2-1. Guedes was directly involved in both goals, scoring one and assisting the other. His match ratings were rather mediocre, but considering the upset, he seems an obvious selection.
CAM: Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim) - 81 OVR -> 85 OVR:
It was the Kramaric show during the first half of Hoffenheim vs Gladbach, with the Croatian scoring three times, including two injury-time goals, to put them 4-0 up heading into the half-time break. Hoffenheim then went on to secure a 5-1 win, with Kramaric being named MOTM for his hat trick.
CM: Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan) - 83 OVR -> 87 OVR:
One of the most exciting cards this week has to be Rabiot. The Frenchman has always been a fan favourite in the UT community and, after scoring twice for AC Milan this week during their 3-1 away win over Como, he looks nailed on for a place in TOTW. Gazzetta awarded the midfielder an 8/10 and, with a featured upgrade, this card looks very good indeed.
CAM: Paulo Dybala (Roma) - 86 OVR -> 87 OVR:
Another big name from Serie A is Dybala. The Argentine provided both a goal and an assist this weekend, spearheading Roma to a 2-0 win over Torino. With four wins in their last five, Roma have put their name back into contention at the top of the table, and Dybala continues to play a key role in that rise.
ST: Ragnar Ache (Koln) - 73 OVR -> 86 OVR:
With a lack of striker options this week, it’s likely that a silver card makes the cut as a featured selection. Ache seems the most obvious candidate after coming off the bench at half-time to help Koln turn the match around, scoring both goals in their 2-1 win over Mainz.
ST: Bryan Mbuemo (Man United) - 85 OVR -> 87 OVR:
Talking of a lack of striker options, it leaves the door open for Mbuemo despite only scoring once. Manchester United put in an extremely dominant display, beating rivals Man City 2-0, and that scoreline was flattering to City as well. Mbuemo was named MOTM for his part in the performance, which included scoring one of the two United goals.
ST: Roger Martinez (Al-Taawoun) - 72 OVR -> 86 OVR:
The first of two Saudi League IFs I have predicted this week is Roger Martinez. The Colombian has been scoring for fun recently, adding another three goals to his tally this weekend as Al-Taawoun secured a 3-1 away win over Al-Riyadh.
TOTW 19 Predicted Subs & Reserves
CB: Asencio (Real Madrid) - 77 OVR -> 84 OVR:
With Barcelona dropping points, it opened the door for Real Madrid to close the gap at the top of the table. They managed to take advantage with a 2-0 win over Levante, bouncing back quickly from their cup upset. Asencio scored one of the two goals, offering EA a good opportunity for another usable Real Madrid card.
RM: Geny Catamo (Sporting Lisbon) - 78 OVR -> 84 OVR:
The competition on the bench and overall this week was lower than you would expect from so many fixtures, but it does mean those with multiple goals really stand out. Catamo is one of those options, with his double helping to lead Sporting to a 3-0 win over Casa Pia as they maintain their chase on high-flyers Porto.
CM: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest) - 80 OVR -> 85 OVR:
With Man City dropping points, it was a huge opportunity for Arsenal to go nine points clear at the top of the table. In their way was Nottingham Forest, who were frustrated throughout the match and ultimately held to a 0-0 draw. Anderson was named MOTM for his display, and with a lack of Premier League options, I can see him sneaking into TOTW 19.
RW: Santiago Hidalgo (Toulouse) - 68 OVR -> 84 OVR:
Ligue 1 was almost ignored completely this week, but the reality is they will receive at least one player. Hidalgo is by far the best option despite being a silver, after his double helped guide Toulouse to an impressive 5-1 win over Nice.
ST: Che Adams (Torino) - 77 OVR -> 84 OVR:
Torino secured a cup upset against Roma, who arguably had one eye on the league with the side they deployed. Nonetheless, it was a Che Adams brace that decided the match as Torino came out on top in the five-goal thriller, winning 3-2.
ST: Vedat Muriqi (Mallorca) - 79 OVR -> 84 OVR:
There were several La Liga strikers in contention for an IF this week, with several scoring twice. Muriqi went one better, though, finding a third goal as Mallorca secured a 3-2 upset over Athletic Club, and I would expect him to secure the IF on Wednesday.
ST: Julian Quinones (Al-Qadsiah) - 80 OVR -> 85 OVR:
Quinones has been a consistent source of goals for Al-Qadsiah this season, with another three to the Mexican’s name this weekend taking him to thirteen from twelve appearances. The Saudi division appears to be reverting back to one IF per week now, but I can't ignore either of these striker with hat tricks.
CB: Jan Bednarek (Porto) - 73 OVR -> 84 OVR:
Two of the cup favourites met in the quarter finals in Portugal with Porto and Benfica battling it out for a spot in the semi final. A solitary goal decided the match, scored by central defender Bednarek. With this being a huge cup win for Porto, I would expect an IF to come from the fixture, and the Polish CB is the only realistic option.
CM: Uran Bislimi (Lugano) - 72 OVR -> 84 OVR:
It’s usually the case that the reserves section largely picks itself, but this was not the case for the majority this week. Bislimi, however, did. The Swiss midfielder scored three times for Lugano as they beat Luzern 5-2 away from home, marking four consecutive wins for them.
LM: Sara Ortega (Athletic Club) - 73 OVR -> 84 OVR:
There were a few big upsets this week, one of which came in Liga F with Athletic Club securing a shock 1-0 win over Real Madrid. With Barcelona already dominating the division, this was likely the final blow to Madrid’s already slim title chances. Ortega scored the only goal of the game, making her my punt for this week.
ST: Troy Parrott (AZ) - 74 OVR -> 84 OVR:
Ajax opted to rest players during their cup fixture with AZ and paid the price drastically for doing so. AZ ran away with a 6-0 win to progress, with a familiar face standing out. Troy Parrott was directly involved in four of those six goals, with three of his own alongside an assist. EA were a little more lenient with cup matches recently, especially with hat tricks, so Parrott should be a possibility here.
ST: Jefte (Albacete) - 79 OVR -> 84 OVR:
As far as cup upsets go, this one was one of the biggest we will see all season. With Albacete 2-1 up heading towards the end of the game, it looked as though they blew their shot with Madrid scoring in the 91st minute. The game then took another twist, however, with Jefte scoring his second of the game to secure the upset in the 94th minute.
That concludes this week's Team of the Week predictions! What do you make of these predictions? Is there anyone else who should have made the TOTW? Let us know below!