Goalkeeper: Bart Verbruggen (Brighton)
Brighton have had a relatively tame season so far, but they were able to hold high-flying Sunderland to a goalless draw thanks to the heroics of Verbruggen in goal. The Dutch stopper made six saves, including a superb reaction save from an Omar Alderete header.
Defence: Pedro Bigas (Elche)
Veteran centre-back Pedro Bigas was a surprise creative outlet for Elche, creating three big chances, one of which was converted by Álvaro Rodríguez. The 4-0 win was only the home side’s second victory in the previous ten league games.
Defence: Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund)
Dortmund continued their impressive unbeaten streak with victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach. Schlotterbeck was central to Dortmund’s possession and transition play, completing 94 passes, as well as winning 11 duels and 2 tackles. An assured performance from the German.
Defence: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Van Dijk’s best performance in the league for a long time. He rolled back the years with a dominant defensive display, winning 11 duels, including 9 in the air. Liverpool’s captain had the opportunity to open the scoring but his tame header was never going to trouble Vicario.
Midfield: Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
Has Rogers guaranteed his place in the World Cup squad? The English winger scored a brace either side of half-time to secure the tenth consecutive victory for Aston Villa, a run that has them just three points behind leaders Arsenal. Rogers is up to seven goals and three assists in the league already.
Midfield: Reece James (Chelsea)
Long discussed as England’s potential right-back, is Reece James at his best in a defensive midfield pivot? Against Newcastle, he sparked the comeback with a pinpoint second-half free-kick that paved the way for João Pedro’s equaliser.
Midfield: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
A strong weekend for English midfielders; Bellingham opened the scoring against Sevilla in the must-win game for Xabi Alonso. Defensively, the Englishman won 12 duels in the middle of the park, ensuring the visitors could not grow into the game.
Midfield: Michael Olise (Bayern Munich)
What a season Olise is having. Against Heidenheim, he added to his goal tally with a volley from close range. Bayern have equalled the record for the best start to a Bundesliga season after 15 games, and Olise’s electric form has been a massive factor in this early dominance.
Forward: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
A strong response to his critics who accused Yamal of having a quiet season. Against Villarreal, Yamal looked back to his best and scored his seventh league goal of the campaign. He also drew the foul that saw Renato Veiga sent off in the first half, limiting the home side’s comeback potential.
Forward: Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Two goals and an assist for the extraordinary Norwegian. If he keeps adding to his goal tally at the current rate, Haaland is well-placed to beat his own record of 36 in a season. Having scored 19 before Christmas, he’s over halfway.
Forward: Dženan Pejčinović (Wolfsburg)
A hat-trick from Dženan Pejčinović – his first league goals of the season – wasn’t enough to salvage a point for Wolfsburg against Freiburg. Pejcinovic’s goals had put the home side 3-2 up, before the late comeback from the away team.
