With just over a quarter of the season gone we pick our best Premier League side of the campaign so far.
Team of the season so far
Michel Vorm
As debuts go a 4-0 defeat is not ideal but the Dutchman showed on his Swansea bow at Manchester City that he might just be a steal at £1.5million. Vorm has kept five clean sheets already, with the Swans' goals against column the equal to Chelsea and Tottenham's and six healthier than Arsenal's. Over the summer Brendan Rodgers spoke of how getting a goalkeeper who was a good distributer would be key to ensuring his easy on the eye side could build from the back; Vorm has proved almost as adept with his feet as with his hands and an ability to hit wide men Scott Sinclair, Nathan Dyer and Wayne Routledge early has set off countless attacks. Expect admiring eyes in January.
Kyle Walker
From being a problem spot for England over the past few years, Fabio Capello now has a glut of promising young right-backs at his disposal. Micah Richards' positional play still worries the Italian, despite the fact he has been excellent for the majority of the season, which could open the door for Walker. Since returning to Spurs in the summer after a productive loan stint at Aston Villa, the 21-year-old has cemented his place as first choice right-back. A driving force when bombing forward, as Arsenal will testify, Walker could start for England at Euro 2012 if he can maintain his current form to the campaign's conclusion.
Fabricio Coloccini
After a summer in which senior pros Kevin Nolan, Joey Barton and Jose Enrique were all offloaded Newcastle started the season as one of the favourites for the drop. That they currently sit in third spot owes as much to a defence tighter than their owner as it does Alan Pardew's shrewd market moves. Newcastle have conceded just eight league goals thus far and at the heart of their defensive endeavours is invariably captain Coloccini. The Argentine initially seemed a little reticent to accept the skipper's armband but it appears to have inspired him as a series of magnificent displays have helped the North East outfit to emerge as this term's surprise package.
Vincent Kompany
Carrying on from where he left off last season is Manchester City skipper Kompany. The Belgian looked a decent holding midfielder when he arrived in England but since being switched to centre-half has proven a revelation. The odd shaky moment aside, Kompany has marshalled a City backline that has conceded the second fewest behind Newcastle. It is City's midfielders and striker that usually steal the headlines but in Joe Hart and Kompany they are doing what all title-winning sides do in building a solid defensive spine.
Ryan Taylor
Tottenham full-back Benoit Assou-Ekotto remains as good a left-back as there is in the Premier League, despite being largely unheralded, but it is Taylor who gets the nod. Since arriving at St James' in 2009 as a decent but unspectacular utility player the affable scouser has often paid the price for being a 'jack of all trades, master of none'. It was only when Enrique moved to Liverpool that he was given a chance at left-back and after initially looking shaky, he has recovered to the extent of playing every minute of Newcastle's Premier League campaign so far. His humdinger of a strike against Everton on Saturday only enhanced a reputation for having one of the top flight's sweetest swingers.
Van der Vaart
Rewind a month and the Dutchman was questioning not just Harry Redknapp's call to exclude him from Spurs' Europa League squad but also his manager's decision to employ him in a wide role. To be fair to Van der Vaart, since dislodging Jermain Defoe as Emmanuel Adebayor's partner in attack, his form has been in the words of Larry David 'pretty pretty good'. Prior to Saturday's win at Fulham he had scored in each of his past five games, with a telepathic understanding with Adebayor surely now one of the top flight's finest. He'll be less happy with the fact we're going to stick him on the wing.
Joe Allen
Brendan Rodgers has been talking up Allen all season as a player capable of playing for a top four club and on Saturday against Liverpool, as he did earlier in the season against Chelsea, the Welshman lived up to his manager's bold claims. Pint-size Allen is one of seven regular Swansea starters who are shorter than 5ft 7in, but if it's good enough for Barcelona it'll probably suffice at the Liberty Stadium. What he lacks in physical prowess he more than makes up for in being able to dictate a game by intelligent passing and an infectious work-rate. Gary Speed has already promoted him to his senior side and if he can keep progressing at his current rate, Rodgers' words may yet come back to haunt him at the end of the season, if not in January.
Scott Parker
There were a number of clubs that looked at Parker over the summer but for whatever reason, perhaps his 31 years in an age obsessed culture counted against him, baulked at writing a cheque for £6million. Where others feared to tread Tottenham filled their boots and have been rewarded handsomely. Alongside better players he has flourished and quickly established himself as a fan favourite at the Lane. Luka Modric has profited more than most as his midfield partner, with the diminutive Croatian given even greater licence to roam such is Parker's fine positional play and understanding of when is best to sit and let others play. Redknapp talked of him in the same breath as Spurs legend Dave Mackay last week and it seems Capello is a fellow convert, as Parker looks a certain starter in Poland and Ukraine. Parker has made more tackles than any other top flight player this season.
David Silva
Perhaps the biggest compliment that can be paid to David Silva is that even Manchester United fans seem to like him. No player has had more column inches lavished on them this season than Silva, who would still be hungover next year were he to get through half the champagne he's been awarded this term already. Put simply, if you don't like watching Silva play then you don't like football. Or life. No more words are needed.
Luis Suarez
Suarez's majestic start to the season has threatened to be overshadowed by an unsavoury spat with Patrice Evra, but it would be remiss not to pay homage to the Uruguayan's unquestionable ability. While Andy Carroll continues to labour under a price-tag he was always unlikely to ever justify, Suarez looks a snip at £22.8million. Liverpool's favourite no.7 since his manager graced the field is never far from either the scoresheet or controversy, but Kenny Dalglish will care not one iota if he maintain his current form.
Robin van Persie
When Van Persie inherited the captain's armband from Cesc Fabregas there were questions raised as to whether the Dutchman was the right candidate. It's fair to say he's leading by example pretty well. The most dismal start to a season in Arsenal's history has been rescued almost single handed by arguably the club's last remaining world class talent. The Dutch international has now scored 28 goals in his last 29 matches, including eight in his last four Premier League games. He currently tops the Premier League scoring charts and behind Silva, is arguably the division's best player to date. If Arsenal are to retain his services long term they will have to hope and pray the rest of their side can reach anything like the standard set by their captain between now and May.
Bench warmers:
Anthony Pilkington, Wayne Rooney, Phil Jones, Sergio Aguero, Juan Mata, Gabriel Agbohlahor, Emmanuel Adebayor, Micah Richards, Brad Friedel, Aaron Ramsey.
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