Sky Sports casts an eye over the leading performers from the latest round of Premier League action.
Team of the week
John Ruddy - Norwich City
Ruddy takes the number one jersey in our Premier League selection for the second week in a row, with the England international putting in a standout display against former employers on Saturday. The ex-Everton shot-stopper helped to frustrate the Toffees at Goodison Park, keeping Norwich in the game long enough for them to snatch a late leveller in a 1-1 draw.
Sebastien Bassong - Norwich City
Bassong was the man to earn Norwich a share of the spoils on Merseyside, with his last-gasp header seeing Chris Hughton's men stretch their unbeaten run to six games. Bassong could not have chosen a more timely moment in which to open his Canaries account, and was also a rock at the back as Everton were restricted to just one goal in front of their own supporters.
Ryan Shawcross - Stoke City
Stoke recorded their sixth clean sheet of the season on Saturday, with one goal enough to see them collect a third victory of the campaign. Shawcross has played a leading role in helping to make the Potters watertight, with his displays earning England recognition. He led by example again against Fulham, and also came close to finding the target as he struck the crossbar.
Vincent Kompany - Manchester City
Much of the focus before and during Manchester City's trip to Chelsea on Sunday was on new interim Blues boss Rafael Benitez, but it has to be noted that two Premier League heavyweights were pitched into battle at Stamford Bridge. There were to be no goals, but that was a result of some resolute defending from both teams, with Kompany as reliable as ever for City.
Leighton Baines - Everton
Baines is now every inch the natural successor to Ashley Cole as England's first choice left-back, with the Everton man among the most consistent performers in the Premier League. He was the Toffees' most potent attacking weapon against Norwich on Saturday, with his marauding runs posing plenty of problems, while he also stood out as their top defensive performer.
Jordi Gomez - Wigan Athletic
Gomez hit only the third Premier League hat-trick of the season on Saturday, and in doing so became just the second Spaniard to notch three times in a top flight fixture - after Fernando Torres. His efforts saw Wigan edge out Reading 3-2 at the DW Stadium, with the match-winner arriving in the second minute of stoppage time.
Pablo Hernandez - Swansea City
It is remarkable how many talented Spanish playmakers there are at the moment, and a number of them are currently illuminating the Premier League. Santi Cazorla has settled in well at Arsenal, while Juan Mata is a key figure for Chelsea. Hernandez is showing at Swansea that he is of the same calibre as his countrymen, with another man of the match display put in against Liverpool.
Adam Lallana - Southampton
Southampton could, and maybe should, have hammered Newcastle out of sight on Sunday, with the woodwork and match officials conspiring against them at times. They were, however, able to find the target on two occasions, with Lallana breaking the deadlock. The Saints skipper tormented the Magpies throughout, with his vision and creativity catching the eye.
Gareth Bale - Tottenham Hotspur
Bale's performance against West Ham on Sunday deserved a goal, with the Welsh winger back to his destructive best. He can be almost unplayable at times, and the Hammers struggled to get to grips with his pace and movement. Bale netted Spurs' second in a 3-1 win at White Hart Lane, meeting Clint Dempsey's lofted pass to steer a controlled effort in off the post.
Wayne Rooney - Manchester United
Manchester United found the target three times against struggling Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, and Rooney got none of them. He was, however, a constant threat and provided two assists for grateful team-mates. United needed someone to inspire them after falling behind at Old Trafford, and Rooney was once again the man to step up to the plate.
Jermain Defoe - Tottenham Hotspur
A deadly double from Defoe helped Spurs to see off his former employers West Ham. The England international's brace took him into double figures for the season, with the 30-year-old frontman currently netting at better than a goal every other game. The Hammers had no answer to him on Sunday, with Defoe cracking home the opening goal and tapping in the third to wrap up the points.
