For one week at least, it’s Tammy Abraham’s world, and we’re all just living in it. The England forward scored five goals in two matches over the past seven days to reassert his claim to be the best forward outside of the top flight.
Headliners
After scoring and winning the man of the match award in last Sunday’s derby win over Birmingham, Abraham led an in-form Aston Villa into an intriguing Tuesday night clash against a good Nottingham Forest side. What ensued at Villa Park was almost incomprehensible, as the two teams shared ten goals in a 5-5 draw, with two more disallowed, and plenty more besides.
Abraham grabbed four of those, including a first-half hat-trick, and had a late one disallowed for good measure.
To score four and not end up on the winning team is mightily unfortunate, but Abraham simply picked himself off and went again, notching in another impressive display to help Villa to a very handy 3-0 win away to Tony Pulis’ Middlesbrough to move up into eighth place in the table.
England
Premier League
Kenedy played 70 nondescript minutes for Newcastle as their three-match winning run came to a juddering halt at home to West Ham, who won 3-0 at St James’s Park.
Kurt Zouma was once again on the bench as Everton made the short trip to Liverpool and only came on in stoppage time for the second week in a row.
Championship
Reece James was named Wigan’s player of the month for the third time in a row, and he had another productive week too, playing well (and hitting the crossbar) in a 3-1 win over Blackburn Rovers and then laying on the key pass for the penalty that helped them draw 1-1 at Bolton. Kasey Palmer was an unused substitute against him in midweek, and then again versus Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.
Third consecutive player of the month! 🏆🏆🏆Thanks for all the support 🔥🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/NgiQh3tDV7
— Reece James (@ReeceJames) December 1, 2018
Michael Hector was at the heart of the Owls’ defence for that one, a 4-2 defeat, having played a part in their clean sheet effort and 1-0 win against Bolton four days earlier.
Mason Mount played across both of Derby’s fixtures this week – a defeat at Stoke and a win at home to Swansea – while Fikayo Tomori was only a substitute in the former of those two outings. He was, however, pressed into action midway through when Curtis Davies suffered an achilles injury that will likely end his season, and so he was back in for all of the Swansea clash. A late Leroy Fer goal has officially been credited against him as an own goal, but he continues to play to a strong standard.
Lewis Baker made his first league start for Leeds against Reading in midweek, but was withdrawn at half time amidst criticism from some supporters, and played no part against Sheffield United before trying to make a hasty exit at full time, though without context it’s impossible to read anything into it.
Lewis Baker apparently stormed off at full time leaving straight after the whistle and was seen by loads of fans #lufc
— ⚪️ LUFC Chat ⚪️ 💙💛 (@LufcChat) November 28, 2018
Izzy Brown came through 80 minutes for the club’s Under-23s on Friday night and isn’t far away from being available to Marcelo Bielsa, who was spotted at Cobham earlier in the week…
Todd Kane has returned to playing at full-back for Hull, having been used as a winger on both sides of the pitch for much of the season, and that move coincided with a draw against Norwich and a win at QPR to lift the club out of the relegation zone.
Trevoh Chalobah, meanwhile, played ninety minutes for Ipswich against Bristol City and then half an hour at Nottingham Forest. Tomas Kalas played a pair of ninety minutes for City, the first of which came against Chalobah, but Jay Dasilva saw no action.
League One
A full midweek schedule saw Iké Ugbo get 76 minutes in Scunthorpe’s defeat at Southend, while Brad Collins and Burton were beaten at home by Charlton.
Charlie Colkett was an unused substitute for Shrewsbury and Dujon Sterling remains injured at Coventry. Colkett and Ugbo then went head-to-head in the FA Cup on Saturday, at least on paper, as they both stayed on the bench throughout. Burton and Coventry are already out, so Collins and Sterling had the weekend off.
League Two
Nathan Baxter and Jacob Maddox both missed their respective midweek fixtures due to minor knocks. Maddox was fit to return for Saturday’s FA Cup defeat to Accrington Stanley, completing an hour on his comeback.
Spain
Michy Batshuayi played the second half of the second half as Valencia lost to Juventus in the Champions League, and then got about twenty minutes in defeat away to Real Madrid in La Liga.
Kenneth Omeruo and Leganés won 4-2 at Valladolid to continue their recent good form, Joao Rodriguez was an unused substitute for Tenerife at Sporting Gijon in the second tier, and so was Josi Quintero for Lleida at Peralada in the third division.
Netherlands
Eduardo was in goal as Vitesse were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by Emmen; Jake Clarke-Salter and Charly Musonda are still out with injury.
Kyle Scott was a 71st-minute substitute in Telstar’s 1-1 draw with Almere City, but Sparta Rotterdam are still without the injured Fankaty Dabo.
Italy
Tiémoué Bakayoko was again in good form for Milan in midweek, though it must be said they were up against Luxembourgian opposition in Dudelange, and they were behind in their Europa League group stage match for a time. Nonetheless, he remains a constant at the heart of their midfield now, and was there for all of Sunday’s 2-1 win over Parma.
Ola Aina played half an hour of Torino’s 2-1 victory over Genoa after returning from a recent injury, while we have to wait for Monday night to see Mario Pašalić and Atalanta go up against Napoli.
Germany
Baba Rahman didn’t play for Schalke, as is always the case.
France
Victorien Angban played all of Metz’s draw at Grenoble, with Matt Miazga once again left out of all first-team involvement by Nantes.
Belgium
Kylian Hazard came on for the last twenty minutes as Cercle Brugge were beaten 3-1 at Charleroi.
Scotland
Ruben Sammut played eighty minutes in Falkirk’s come-from-behind win away to Inverness, capping their 3-2 victory with a stoppage-time goal.
Serbia
Danilo Pantic played 67 minutes in Partizan’s 1-1 draw at Mladost Lucani.
Brazil
Nathan was, as usual, an unused substitute for Atlético-MG, and it looks like they’re trying to get rid of the disappointing winger already.
Statistics
Started: July 14th
Final: May 29th
| Player | Club | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe/Cont | Other | Mins Played | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Tammy Abraham | Aston Villa | 40 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3450 | 40 | 26 |
| Ola Aina | Torino | 30 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2275 | 32 | 1 |
| Victorien Angban | Metz | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2056 | 29 | 1 |
| Tiemoue Bakayoko | Milan | 30 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2972 | 38 | 1 |
| Lewis Baker | Leeds United | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 491 | 14 | 0 |
| Lewis Baker | Reading | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1497 | 19 | 1 |
| Michy Batshuayi | Valencia | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 952 | 22 | 2 |
| Michy Batshuayi | Crystal Palace | 11 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 923 | 12 | 6 |
| Isaiah Brown | Leeds United | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 0 |
| Trevoh Chalobah | Ipswich Town | 43 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3273 | 44 | 2 |
| Jake Clarke-Salter | Vitesse | 28 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2895 | 36 | 1 |
| Charlie Colkett | Shrewsbury Town | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 306 | 6 | 0 |
| Fankaty Dabo | Sparta Rotterdam | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1625 | 24 | 0 |
| Jay Dasilva | Bristol City | 28 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2383 | 32 | 0 |
| Josh Grant | Yeovil | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 720 | 8 | 0 |
| Kylian Hazard | Cercle Brugge | 21 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1116 | 21 | 4 |
| Michael Hector | Sheffield Wednesday | 36 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3242 | 37 | 2 |
| Reece James | Wigan Athletic | 45 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4005 | 46 | 3 |
| Tomas Kalas | Bristol City | 39 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3586 | 40 | 0 |
| Todd Kane | Hull City | 39 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3363 | 40 | 3 |
| Kenedy | Newcastle United | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1529 | 26 | 1 |
| Jacob Maddox | Cheltenham Town | 38 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3077 | 43 | 4 |
| Mason Mount | Derby County | 37 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3745 | 42 | 11 |
| Matt Miazga | Nantes | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 810 | 9 | 0 |
| Matt Miazga | Reading | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1620 | 18 | 0 |
| Alvaro Morata | Atlético Madrid | 15 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1245 | 17 | 6 |
| Victor Moses | Fenerbahce | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1076 | 15 | 4 |
| Charly Musonda | Vitesse Arnhem | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 0 |
| Nathan | Atletico Mineiro | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 835 | 22 | 2 |
| Kenneth Omeruo | Leganés | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2434 | 28 | 0 |
| Kasey Palmer | Blackburn Rovers | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 984 | 17 | 3 |
| Kasey Palmer | Bristol City | 15 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 538 | 16 | 2 |
| Danilo Pantic | Partizan Belgrade | 29 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3043 | 40 | 8 |
| Mario Pašalić | Atalanta | 32 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2047 | 40 | 8 |
| Lucas Piazón | Chievo | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 4 | 0 |
| Christian Pulisic | Dortmund | 9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 651 | 11 | 4 |
| Josimar Quintero | Lleida | 16 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 693 | 18 | 0 |
| Baba Rahman | Schalke | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 327 | 4 | 0 |
| Baba Rahman | Reims | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 965 | 11 | 1 |
| Joao Rodriguez | Tenerife | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 447 | 12 | 1 |
| Ruben Sammut | Falkirk | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 967 | 15 | 0 |
| Kyle Scott | Telstar | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 995 | 14 | 2 |
| Dujon Sterling | Coventry City | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3307 | 39 | 0 |
| Fikayo Tomori | Derby County | 46 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4692 | 54 | 2 |
| Iké Ugbo | Scunthorpe United | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 936 | 16 | 1 |
| Jack Wakely | Basingstoke Town | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1355 | 16 | 0 |
| Kurt Zouma | Everton | 32 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2838 | 34 | 2 |
| Total | 82392 | 1124 | 115 | |||||||||||
| Player | Club | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Mins Played | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Cln Sht | Apps | Cln Sht | Apps | Cln Sht | Apps | Cln Sht | Apps | Cln Sht | Apps | Cln Sht | |||
| Nathan Baxter | Yeovil Town | 35 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3420 | 38 | 11 |
| Jamal Blackman | Leeds United | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 180 | 2 | 0 |
| Brad Collins | Burton Albion | 31 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3115 | 35 | 11 |
| Eduardo | Vitesse | 29 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3060 | 34 | 5 |
| Jared Thompson | Warrenpoint | 10 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1170 | 13 | 4 |
| Ethan Wady | Tooting & Mitcham United | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 810 | 9 | 3 |
| Karlo Ziger | Sutton United | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 90 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 11845 | 132 | 34 | |||||||||||