PREM TOTW: LEICESTER'S NEW BOY MAKES THE CUT, AS DOES SOUTHAMPTON'S

Featured Image Credit: Sky Sports

Goalkeeper

Kasper Schmeichel

It wasn’t the busiest of afternoons for Kasper Schmeichel, but when he was called upon he undoubtedly stepped up.

The Foxes did extremely well to keep Nuno Espirito Santo Wolves off the scoresheet and when the ball did get past Leicester defence, Schmeichel was there to quite literally save the day.

Ruben Neves rasping shot was extra-ordinarily tipped off the bar by Schmeichel, who went on to earn his third PL clean sheet of the season.

The Dane’s match-winning save ensured Brendan Rodgers side earnt all three points and enter the international break top of the table.

Defenders

Matt Doherty

After playing as a wing-back for the past two seasons, Matt Doherty has had to heavily adapt his game under Jose Mourinho, but Spurs fans will be hoping his performance at the weekend will help boost his confidence.

The Irishman struggled in the first half and at times was wasteful in possession, but after half time that soon changed.

A solid second-half display was capped off for Doherty when he lofted a picture-perfect ball over the Baggies backline for Harry Kane to score his 150th Premier League goal.

Jose Mourinho will be hoping his summer signing can now string together some more consistent performances as a right-back.

Wesley Fofana

Losing Caglar Soyuncu so early in the season was a huge blow for Brendan Rodgers and Leicester, but they may have just found his temporary replacement.

Wesley Fofana joined the Foxes from Saint-Etienne in the summer and has hardly put a foot wrong since his £30m move.

Amazingly the Frenchman is only 19-years-old but he plays like a veteran, he made two potentially goal-saving interventions against Wolves and also showed no fear when carting the ball out of the defence.

Fofana lined-up alongside the equally impressive Johnny Evans and Christian Fuchs in Leicester’s back three, helping his new team earn their sixth straight victory in all competitions.

Thiago Silva

Despite being the cheapest big-name signing made by Chelsea, Thiago Silva has made one hell of an impact since leaving PSG and he was integral in the Blues win over Sheffield United.

Frank Lampard’s side did go a goal behind, which robbed Silva and his defensive compatriots of a fifth consecutive clean sheet, but they responded in the best possible manner by scoring four times.

The veteran Brazilian had a comfortable game against a physical Sheffield United attack and even made some contributions at the other end, nodding home from Hakim Ziyech’s superb free-kick.

Finally, the Chelsea backline have some stability and Lampard has a pretty easy decision for his four best defenders and Silva is most-definitely at the heart of it.

Scott Dann

While all the limelight is very much on Wilfred Zaha, so many of the Palace’s players go totally under the radar and Scott Dan is very much one of them.

The 6ft4ins defender is often a rock at the back for Roy Hodgson’s side and in their comprehensive 4-1 victory over Leeds United, it was no different.

Alongside his impressive defensive displays, he also leapt like a salmon to send a whipping Eberechi Eze corner into the back of the net, kicking off the route at Selhurst Park.

Dann definitely comes in the category of unsung heroes and while he may not be the most glamourous defender, he certainly is effective.

Midfielders

Stuart Armstrong

For the first time in just over four years, Southampton seem to have a very good chance of challenging for a European place and it seems ever-more likely now that the players fully understand how Ralph Hassenhuttl wants to play.

Stuart Armstrong epitomised the Saint's performance on Friday evening, with a combination of endless running and quick attacking football.

Newcastle were still in the dressing room by the time Southampton stamped their mark on the game, and Armstrong was integral in everything positive for the South coasters.

His relentless pressure allowed him to dispossess Sean Longstaff and some clever feet past a few Newcastle defenders gave him the space to slide the ball home and seal the three points for his team, who went top for about 16 hours.

Bruno Fernandes

The term “winning ugly” is often defined as not playing very well but still getting three points and one player over the weekend took that term very personally.

Bruno Fernandes inspired Manchester United to a crucial three points against Everton with his two goals and one assist, but on the whole the attacking midfielder didn’t play that well.

He was quite wasteful in possession and his positional play was questionable at times, but when it mattered, he showed his undeniable talent.

A bullet header for his first and a curling cross-shot for his second turned the game totally on its head and put United in control.

In added-on time he helped finish off the Toffees by laying on a simple pass for Edinson Cavani to complete his clinical performance.

Eberechi Eze

Last weekend it was James Ward-Prowse who was the set-piece king, but this week the crown goes to Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze.

His summer move from QPR cost the Eagles around £16m and he is beginning to justify the price as his swerving corner was met by Scott Dan to give Palace the lead.

The talented 22-year-old then struck a delightful free-kick in to double his sides lead and net his first Premier League goal.

Wilfred Zaha, who is normally at the behest of all Palace’s goal contributions, only managed an assist something that will certainly please Roy Hodgson as it seems he finally has more attacking players with a killer end-product.

Attackers

Theo Walcott

In an Everton shirt, Theo Walcott was a complete ghost, but a loan move back to boyhood club Southampton has the Englishman playing like an excited teenager again.

Despite now being in his 30s and having faced a lot of injuries, Walcott was absolutely everywhere in his first game back at St Mary’s.

His determination brought about Southampton’s opener, winning the ball off the dwindling Miguel Almiron, before launching a rocket at Che Adam's right foot who simply directed the ball past Karl Darlow.

For 88 minutes Walcott looked like a different player and many of his driving runs at the Newcastle defence were reminiscent of the Walcott of old.

With Danny Ings facing a few weeks on the side-lines, Ralph Hassenhuttl may have just found an alternative and if Walcott can add some goals to his game, it is a fantastic move for all involved.

Hakim Ziyech

Chelsea fans have had to be patient before they got to see Hakim Ziyech, but his first four starting performances for the Blues have shown it was absolutely worth the wait.

He delicately chipped the ball over the Sheffield United backline for Mateo Kovacic to cross into the path of Tammy Abraham who struck the equaliser.

Just ten minutes later he whipped in a delicious cross which Ben Chilwell bundled over the line and the 25-year-old capped off his evening with a tight-angled curling free-kick which was nodded home by Thiago Silva.

The Moroccan forward was a class above everyone else on the pitch at Stamford Bridge with every touch, pass and cross seeming so effortless

Ollie Watkins

Many eyebrows were raised when Aston Villa splashed out a club-record £28m on an unproven Premier League player in Ollie Watkins, but he’s proving everyone wrong in style.

After his ridiculous first-half hat-trick against the Champions, Watkins has gone slightly quiet in front of goal until he showed up to the Emirates.

The 24-year-old was perfectly placed to nod home Ross Barkley’s volleyed cross and then finished off Jack Grealish’s driving 50-yard run, with a precise strike through the legs of Bernd Leno.

Many sub-par performances followed Villa’s incredible start to the season, but with the creativity of Grealish and Barkley in full flow combined with the lethal finishing of Watkins, the sky really is the limit for Dean Smith’s side.

Manager

Ralph Hassenhuttl

A lot of managers struggle to implement their style of play on the team they manage, but Ralph Hassenhuttl has certainly stamped his game plan at Southampton and the near-perfect performance against Newcastle echoes that wonderfully.

Every single Southampton player could’ve been in the TOTW for this all-round display. With the attacking pairs clinical finishing, the midfield fours gut-busting energy and the defensive lines cohesive solidarity.

The absence of Danny Ings was a huge blow for Hassenhuttl but on this performance they didn’t miss their deadly talisman and that’s a true testament to the eleven players who started the 2-0 victory over Newcastle.

Southampton are six unbeaten and cannot stop scoring goals, however in some games this season they have collapsed defensively, but there was absolutely no sign of that happening on Friday night as the Saints stormed to a comfortable victory.