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#3 Cristiano Ronaldo - Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a brace in his Premier League re-debut on matchday four against Newcastle United. He once again found the back of the net when Manchester United paid West Ham United a visit on Sunday afternoon. Ronaldo was full of ideas and intentions in London and opened the scoring for United 10 minutes before half-time.
Ronaldo's world-class off-the-ball movement took him past the opposition defenders, allowing him to convert from his countryman Bruno Fernandes’ cross. He came close to doubling his tally early in the second half, but Hammers custodian Lukasz Fabianski was up to the task at the time.
His goal at West Ham extended his scoring streak to three games in all competitions since joining the Red Devils from Juventus in the summer.
Ronaldo’s combination with Fernandes has become a thing of beauty in the Premier League. Expect the two Portugal internationals to headline United’s attack over the course of the 2021-22 campaign.
#2 Thiago Silva - Chelsea
Champions League holders Chelsea have become a force to be reckoned with in England and Europe. The Premier League leaders have grown strength to strength in almost every division over the last couple of seasons, posing serious trouble for others. On Sunday, Chelsea once again flexed their muscles, crushing Tottenham Hotspur in their own backyard.
The 3-0 win was shouldered by several impressive performances from Chelsea players, but veteran defender Thiago Silva still stood out for the shift he put in. Silva, 36, was deemed to become Tottenham’s favorite target on Sunday. Surprisingly, the Brazilian turned the prediction on its head and instead, became the best performer for Chelsea.
Despite being a known threat from set-pieces, Spurs failed to mark Silva, which resulted in Chelsea’s first goal in the 49th minute. At the back, the centre-back was as immaculate as ever, never putting a foot wrong. All in all, it was one of Silva’s best performances in a Chelsea shirt in the Premier League.
#1 David De Gea - Manchester United
Manchester United keeper David de Gea used to be one of Premier League’s best players until 2018. However, after the devastating World Cup campaign with Spain in 2018, De Gea started slipping down the pecking order. This season, much to the delight of Red Devils fans, the Spaniard seems to have started to find his way back.
On Sunday at West Ham United, De Gea made three important saves, with two of those shots coming from inside the box. More impressively, he saved a West Ham penalty in the 95th minute, winning the game for his team.
The 30-year-old leapt to his left to palm Mark Noble’s effort away from danger. The save marked De Gea’s first penalty save for United in the Premier League since 2014.
