• Team of the Week

Triple Dutch

John Ruddy denied Luis Suarez late on to earn Norwich a point against Liverpool © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Van der Vaart feels Defoe's pain
  
• News: Ruddy deserves England call-up - Lambert
  
• News: Van Persie cannot leave Arsenal - Gervinho
  

Manchester City's 6-1 rout of rivals Manchester United sees three of Roberto Mancini's men make it into our Team of the Week. There are also three Dutchmen, but who else makes the cut?

Goalkeeper
There wasn't a sub-editor in the country that didn't rejoice in John Ruddy's performance at Anfield on Saturday, as we were treated to a smorgasbord of headlines bellowing about a 'Ruddy marvellous' match for the keeper. He emerged victorious in his personal duel with Luis Suarez, pulling off two top-quality stops before producing the save of the weekend in stoppage time from the striker's goal-bound volley.

Defender
The first of three Manchester City players included in our TOTW is Micah Richards, who had a storming match in the derby. Overcoming a bout of eagerness early on, when he fouled Ashley Young on several occasions, Richards settled into the game, marauding up the right flank time and time again, bullying into tackles, muscling red shirts off the ball and providing an excellent assist for Sergio Aguero's third goal.

Defender
Sunderland's defence, filled with ex-Manchester United players, has come in for some stick in their stuttering start to the season, but as they travelled to what has become a happy hunting ground for Steve Bruce of late, John O'Shea began to show why his experience could be valuable this season. Sunderland had dominated the second half at Bolton and edged in front when O'Shea made a vital clearing header at the far post as David Wheater was poised to level the scores.

Defender
On a weekend of derby clashes, Jonas Olsson's display proved critical in settling the clash between Aston Villa and West Brom. Never found wanting in the commitment department, Olsson was involved in the incident that saw Chris Herd sent off and the rest of us baffled. He was so disgusted with Chris Brunt's resulting penalty howler that he thought he'd show his team how it was done, rising highest at a corner to bring his side level.

Jonas Olsson scored the equaliser which sparked West Bromwich's comeback © Getty Images

Enlarge

Midfielder
Yet again, the majesty of David Silva was evident in the Manchester derby. The Spaniard was instrumental in the rout of old foes United, supplying the passes for the excellent James Milner to tee up the opening two goals for Mario Balotelli, skipping onto Edin Dzeko's pass to slide the fourth under David De Gea and setting up Dzeko for the sixth with an exquisitely weighted volley. Silva is, quite simply, a Premier League tour de force.

Midfielder
"Bring on the London clubs," Steve Kean shouted after Blackburn's point at QPR last time out added to an identical result at Fulham and the infamous win over Arsenal. Thanks to Rafael van der Vaart that particular line of positivity has been snuffed out immediately. The Dutchman heaped yet more misery on a beleaguered Kean with a match-winning brace at Ewood Park, tapping home the first after good work from Kyle Walker before a wonderful curling effort from range sealed all three points for Tottenham.

Midfielder
With Asamoah Gyan now plying his trade in the Middle East, Stephane Sessegnon is taking it upon himself to provide the attacking spark for Sunderland. They battered Bolton in the second half at the Reebok but couldn't find a way through until Sessegnon swivelled on a loose ball in the area with eight minutes remaining to fire them into a precious lead. And as the home side pushed for a point, Sessegnon kept cool as he broke upfield and picked out a pass for Nicklas Bendtner, who duly wrapped up the points.

Midfielder
Everton found themselves fourth bottom as they kicked off against Fulham on Sunday, but thanks to a man-of-the-match performance from Royston Drenthe, they ended it in 13th. The Dutchman took just three minutes to get on the scoresheet, hammering home from 25 yards. Then as the game drifted into added time locked at 1-1, he bravely nodded the ball into Louis Saha's path as the ex-Fulham striker registered his first of the season. To round off a solid afternoon's work, he then provided the free kick that allowed Jack Rodwell to seal the deal.

Gervinho was involved in all three of Arsenal's goals against Stoke © PA Photos

Enlarge

Striker
Arsenal made it six wins out of seven games largely thanks to the delivery of Gervinho and the ruthless nature of Robin van Persie, the very definition of a man in form. Van Persie began the game against Stoke on the bench, so Gervinho took it upon himself to notch the opener, cushioning Aaron Ramsey's pass on his chest before finishing smartly.

Striker
Van Persie finally emerged from the bench with 23 minutes left and the game poised at 1-1. It took him just six minutes to find the net, as he turned Gervinho's pinpoint cross past Asmir Begovic. Then, just to prove it wasn't a fluke, the pair combined again to put the game beyond doubt, Gervinho's low cross leaving Van Persie with the simplest of tasks.

Striker
Unless you are a Manchester United fan, it is very difficult not to be entertained by Mario Balotelli - a man who made the back pages on Sunday for setting his bathroom on fire, and will adorn them again on Monday for very different reasons. He was faultless on Sunday, maintaining his composure, and resisting the temptation to become embroiled in an argument with his own bench, to score twice before topping it all off with the best goal celebration this season.

Manager
Days as a Premier League manager don't come much better than this. Roberto Mancini didn't just lead his side to victory at Old Trafford, he masterminded a rout so devastating that it prompted Sir Alex Ferguson to label it his worst ever defeat in football. Initially his team selection looked misguided as United dominated the opening 20 minutes, but after that everything went right. Balotelli and Dzeko were clinical, David Silva was elegant, as ever, and James Milner and Micah Richards were relentless as Mancini's men racked up six goals and the single biggest confidence boost for the blue half of the City since the year dot. Just one question, Roberto: How do you intend to follow that?

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.