• Team of the Week

The shining lights of opening weekend

Michu was one of the day's star performers © PA Photos

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The Premier League is back and so is our tribute to the star performers of the weekend. Attacking abandon is customary on the opening day, as teams and managers get carried away with the pleasantries of summer, which usually spells bad news for goalkeepers.

Goalkeeper
On a weekend of modest performances, Swansea's Michel Vorm makes a welcome return to these pages, after his clutch of important saves in the first half at Loftus Road laid the foundations for the rout that was to follow.

Defender
It took Chelsea a measly two minutes to register their first Premier League goal of the campaign at Wigan. It came as no great shock they found the net so early but there was a distinct element of surprise that the player bearing down on Ali Al Habsi's goal was Branislav Ivanovic. The Serbian galloped onto Eden Hazard's slide rule pass and fired calmly into the net, then did his bit at the back to secure Roberto Di Matteo's first Premier League win as permanent manager.

Defender
Arsenal may have been shorn of Robin van Persie (and his inner little boy) prior to the start of the season but they did still manage a formidable 23 shots on goal against Sunderland. That they failed to breach the Black Cats' rearguard had to do with an admirable defensive showing in which Carlos Cuellar was the stand out member of the cast. Signed on a free from Aston Villa, the 30-year-old offered evidence at Emirates Stadium that he could be an astute acquisition.

Defender
A solitary goal was all it took for West Ham to register a victory on their first game back in the big time, thanks to a clean sheet that was registered with more than a little help from centre-back Winston Reid. Detailed with marking Darren Bent, the Kiwi defender stuck to his task throughout the afternoon, making a handful of vital interceptions to prevent the Hammers being breached.

It is in midfield where the strength lies. Starting us off are a duo from Swansea, one old one new, who put Queens Park Rangers to the sword in much the same way as Bolton did last season.

Midfielder
Chief architect was Michu, last season's top scoring midfielder in La Liga, whose two goals might mean he encounters far less space to work in after the rest of the league's managers catch up with the highlights. His first goal owed much to a goalkeeping error from Rob Green (what are the odds?) but his second was pure quality as he curled a pearler into the top corner. The 26-year-old even had time to strike the crossbar too.

Midfielder
Nathan Dyer matched Michu's feat as the Swans ran riot in a second half more open than a Sunday league under-15 game. Dyer managed five Premier League goals last season but his double, and the nature of both finishes, hint at a more prolific campaign ahead. Steadying himself perfectly both times with a good first touch, the 24-year-old fired low and hard past Green on both occasions.

Midfielder
The last time Manchester City played a Premier League game at home they went 2-1 down to unfancied opponents before coming back to win 3-2. This victory over Southampton didn't quite match the drama of that epic final day clash with QPR but it made everyone feel warm and cosy about the Premier League's return. The hero this time was Samir Nasri, who not only struck the winner but set up the opener for Carlos Tevez to boot.

Midfielder
He may have looked a little off the pace in last week's Community Shield but it took Eden Hazard no time at all to suggest he can flourish in England's top flight after his match-winning cameo at Wigan. First he supplied an exquisite turn and pass to set up Ivanovic for Chelsea's first before he drew a clumsy foul from the hapless Ivan Ramis to secure a penalty that Frank Lampard converted to make it 2-0.

Hatem Ben Arfa scored the winner for Newcastle © PA Photos

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Midfielder
Alan Pardew admitted to telling a little fib in the build up to Newcastle's opener against Tottenham, having ruled Hatem Ben Arfa out with a fictitious injury. His presence may have taken Tottenham by surprise but his quality won't have done, as he proved the difference between the two sides. Prominent throughout, Ben Arfa turned the tide in the Toon's favour seconds after Spurs had worked their way back into the game, winning a penalty that he then converted.

Forward
Ben Arfa may have grabbed the winner but prior to that Demba Ba ended his Newcastle goal drought in style. The Senegalese striker had to play second fiddle to Papiss Cisse after his compatriot arrived in January and promptly found the net 13 times but he was back centre stage on Saturday as he scored one of the goals of the weekend, pulling down a looping ball in the box before curling home on the volley with his instep.

Forward
Clint Dempsey might be intent on leaving Fulham but that particular blow to the club might have been softened slightly by the promising debut of newly-signed Croatian striker Mladen Petric. The 31-year-old can't be classed as one for the future but his two goals against Norwich underlined he could be one for the here and now. His goals demonstrated the breadth of his game, as he glanced home the first from a corner before a thunderous drive from range nestled in the top corner.

Manager
A deserved tip of the hat to Martin Jol for Fulham's thumping of Norwich but there's only one candidate for manager of the week and that man is Michael Laudrup. He has big shoes to fill at Swansea but winning 5-0 on your Premier League debut is one way to go about doing just that. This was as vibrant a display as any produced under Brendan Rodgers, filled with quality goals and standout performances from two of his new signings. A pretty perfect way to start.

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