Premier League Team of the Week: Mohammed Kudus and Antoine Semenyo Featured, Salah Out
- Mohammed Kudus and Antoine Semenyo have earned spots in the Premier League Team of the Week
- The Ghanaian duo impressed for Tottenham Hotspur and AFC Bournemouth, respectively, on the opening weekend of the 2025/26 season
- The team was selected by Newcastle United legend and the league’s all-time leading scorer, Alan Shearer
The 2025/26 Premier League season kicked off in thrilling fashion, and two Ghanaians wasted no time making their presence felt.
Mohammed Kudus and Antoine Semenyo delivered eye-catching performances for their clubs, earning well-deserved spots in the official Team of the Week.
Source: Getty Images
How Kudus and Semenyo made EPL Team of the Week
It was a bittersweet evening for Antoine Semenyo when Bournemouth visited defending champions Liverpool.
The forward was subjected to racial abuse midway through the first half, an incident that cast a dark shadow over the match.
Yet, instead of folding under pressure, the Ghanaian international responded in the most emphatic way possible.
Semenyo struck twice, becoming the first Bournemouth player to score a brace on the opening weekend of a Premier League season.
According to The Guardian, although his heroics could not prevent a 4-2 defeat at Anfield, the 25-year-old’s resilience and quality were impossible to ignore.
His performance has since earned him not only a place in the Team of the Week but also a nomination for Player of the Week.
Source: Getty Images
Kudus dazzles on Tottenham debut
While Semenyo was making headlines at Anfield, Mohammed Kudus was stealing the show in North London.
Making his Tottenham Hotspur debut against Burnley, the versatile attacker played with flair and confidence.
Kudus created two goals in Spurs’ commanding 3-0 win and delighted fans with his trickery and vision, per ESPN.
So impressive was his display that he drew applause from the home crowd when substituted late on. His immediate impact was exactly what Spurs fans hoped for, and his inclusion in the Team of the Week was richly deserved.
Kudus and Semenyo were not the only Africans to catch the eye.
Senegalese midfielder Habib Diarra put on a commanding display for Sunderland, cementing his place in the Team of the Week alongside the Ghanaian duo.
Who else made the Team of the Week?
Arsenal’s David Raya takes the gloves after producing seven crucial saves to deny Manchester United.
The backline features Sunderland’s Dan Ballard, Newcastle’s towering Dan Burn, and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi.
The midfield boasts Manchester City’s summer recruit Tijani Reijnders, who announced himself with both a goal and an assist on his debut, partnering with Diarra in the middle.
Kudus and Semenyo provided the attacking width.
Up front, Nottingham Forest’s Chris Wood, City’s goal machine Erling Haaland, and Tottenham’s Richarlison lead the line.
Conspicuously missing from the list was Mohamed Salah, whose goal against Bournemouth was not enough to secure him a place in Alan Shearer's team.
On the touchline, Sunderland boss Regis de Bris received the nod as Manager of the Week following his team’s impressive display.
Richarlison jokingly claims Kudus is Brazilian
YEN.com.gh earlier reported that Richarlison jokingly claimed Mohammed Kudus might secretly be Brazilian after the pair combined for two goals in Tottenham’s 3-0 win over Burnley.
The Brazilian forward heaped praise on Kudus, lauding his work rate and flair, and quipped that his style of play could easily pass for that of a Brazilian.
Source: YEN.com.gh
