Weekend awards: Best skill, funniest moment and more!

Football writer Adrian Kajumba looks at the standout players and moments from Matchweek 6.

Best tactical tweak - Sean Dyche

Dwight McNeil has been known as a winger for his entire senior career but moving him into the middle might be a masterstroke by Everton manager Sean Dyche.

Dyche’s tinkering with McNeil’s position has paid off handsomely, especially against Crystal Palace on Saturday when his second-half double finally earned Everton their first Premier League win this season. 

With greater freedom in the No 10 role, McNeil drifted into space to fire in a brilliant equaliser from long range. 

McNeil's equaliser v Palace

He followed that up by breaking into the box and collecting Jack Harrison's cross to score Everton’s winner and complete their comeback from a goal down. 

The goals at Goodison Park continued McNeil’s increased contribution since he was moved inside.

He had only started only one match in a central role in each of the last two seasons for Everton, but Dyche has now deployed McNeil there in the Toffees’ last four Premier League encounters.

Nothing confirms the success of the change more than the fact that all five of McNeil’s goal contributions this season - three goals and two assists - have come since then.

Funniest moment - Ibrahima Konate

In his opinion Ibrahima Konate was wronged against Wolverhampton Wanderers - he should have been receiving rather than handing over the man of the match award.

The defender scored Liverpool’s opener, produced a brilliant goal-saving tackle to deny Carlos Forbs and was aerially dominant again, winning the most duels of any player on the pitch, with four, leaving him with a league-high 84.6 per cent success rate this season.

The decision to give the match’s individual honour to his midfield team-mate Ryan Gravenberch prompted the Frenchman to make his own case in humorous fashion.

“Who decides who is man of the match?” he pleaded. “How is this possible? Milan [in the UEFA Champions League] I score, today I score. I say what did I do to not deserve it?! What happened?”

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot saw the funny side of Konate’s claim.

Referring to the centre-back’s mix-up with goalkeeper Alisson for Wolves’ equaliser, he said with a smile: “Maybe he forgot that moment we conceded a goal.

“Maybe that was why we conceded, because he wasn’t there at that moment. To say the least it was avoidable. Let’s say it like this.” 

Deja vu moment - Micky van de Ven’s assist

With some assists, most of the hard work is done by the scorer. Not though, it seems, when they are goals set up by Micky van de Ven.

Against Manchester United and for the second time this season, Tottenham Hotspur’s Dutch defender created a goal with an incredible run from deep in his own half.

Rapid centre-back Van de Ven took the ball off Man Utd forward Marcus Rashford and then charged upfield, blasting past four opposing players before crossing to scorer Brennan Johnson.

Van de Ven's assist v Man Utd

Former Man Utd defender Gary Neville said: “Absolutely brilliant from Van de Ven. One of the best runs I’ve ever seen from a centre-back.” 

Van de Ven’s remarkable run brought back memories of his previous assist this season against Everton in August when he did something similar to tee up a goal for Spurs captain Son Heung-min.

Van de Ven's assist v Everton

He set the tone for a dominant personal and team display in Spurs' 3-0 win at Old Trafford with his involvement in their third-minute opener.

“I intercepted the ball, saw the gap and was like, 'Now I am going,'” Van de Ven explained. Once he did get going there was no stopping him.

Coincidentally, the goal came 12 years to the DAY since another Spurs defender, Jan Vertonghen, embarked on a run of his own to score in a victory at Old Trafford.

Vertonghen's goal at Old Trafford

One to watch - Liam Delap

Liam Delap produced his best Premier League performance so far to earn Ipswich Town a point against Aston Villa, the sort that should ensure he is a closely-marked man from now on.

Delap had shown glimpses of his talent previously this season but displayed his full range of qualities as a persistent and powerful threat to Villa. 

His two goals showcased the variety to his game - clever movement and a close-range finish for his first, followed by a solo run, stepover and emphatic strike for his second. 

Delap's second goal v Villa

It was the first time Delap - son of Stoke City legend Rory - had scored two goals in a senior match. 

He also became the first player to score a brace for Ipswich in the Premier League since Marcus Bent in 2002 against Newcastle United, as well as the youngest to do so in the competition, aged 21 years and 234 days.

Former Premier League striker Michael Owen said: “He’s got size, presence, pace, skill, good finishing. He showed all of his qualities and he’s going to be a handful for a lot of defences this season.” 

Ex-Premier League midfielder Jamie Redknapp added: “£20million from Manchester City looks like a real snip. In the Premier League he looks so at home.”

Fast starters - Brentford

Having scored after 22 seconds against Man City and 23 seconds against Spurs in their previous two matches, it was not the biggest shock that Brentford burst out of the blocks once more against West Ham United.

They did need a little longer to make it 1-0 on Saturday. 

There were 38 seconds on the clock when Bryan Mbeumo volleyed Brentford ahead, just as he did against Spurs, becoming only the second player after Man City’s Sergio Aguero to score successive first-minute Premier League goals.

Brentford’s early-goal exploits in three matches running have set a Premier League record.

“I need to know if it’s a world record,” head coach Thomas Frank said.

Frank is keeping the exact secrets of their “kick-off strategy” close to his chest, but “the mindset of playing forward” is part of it. 

For each goal Brentford have played backwards from kick-off before launching a long ball, with goalkeeper Mark Flekken the man to play that pass deep into opposition territory for the first two of the three early goals.

From there they have refused to let their opponents settle by playing at speed, maintaining the pressure and positioning themselves best to win second balls until they force the goalscoring moment.

“Credit to the coaching staff that work on it, and the players,” Frank said. 

Most audacious skill - Ederson 

Most goalkeepers who find themselves under pressure way out of their area while being closed down by an opposition player might panic or look for the safest way out of trouble.

But Man City’s Ederson is not most goalkeepers.

He is one of the best in the world with a ball at his feet and lived up to his reputation once more against Newcastle.

He seemed to be in a tricky spot when he received a backpass, with Anthony Gordon closing in and cutting off what looked like his only passing option, forcing the Brazilian to turn back towards his own goal.

Ederson, though, simply got out of it with a cheeky backheel to team-mate Kyle Walker. 

Ederson's backheel v Newcastle

Ederson showing off his skill and composure is nothing new, and he has had far closer shaves than he did at St James’ Park during his Man City career. 

Not that his manager seemed all that impressed, with the cameras quickly flashing to a stony-faced Pep Guardiola on the sidelines following Ederson’s exploits.