Nunez leads attack after devastating double for Liverpool: Premier League team of the week

Two Manchester City players also included after role in 2-1 win at Sheffield United to extend perfect start

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  (4-3-3): GK: Alphonse Areola (West Ham): It was a weekend of top goalkeeper performances, with Alisson and Jose Sa excelling for Liverpool and Wolves respectively. But the gloves go to Areola for a series of gravity-defying saves to help West Ham register an impressive 3-1 win at previously unstoppable Brighton. Reuters

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  RB: Matty Cash (Aston Villa): Malo Gusto was superb for Chelsea with a pair of assists but a brace for Cash in Villa’s 3-1 win at Burnley earns the Poland international a deserved place in this week’s XI. PA

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  CB: Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace): What a start to the season the Danish defender is having. Excellent defensively in the first two matches, Andersen popped up with the crucial equaliser to earn Palace a 1-1 draw at Brentford. Getty

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  CB: Micky van de Ven (Tottenham): A superb defensive display from the Dutchman as Tottenham maintained their encouraging start to the season with a 2-0 win at Bournemouth. After a shaky start in a Spurs shirt, Van de Ven looked more like a €50 million defender at the Vitality Stadium. Reuters

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  LB: Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City): Three games into his City career and it’s already clear that the Croatian defender is special. Full of class and quality, both defensively and when venturing forward, as City survived a scare to beat Sheffield United 2-1. AP

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  CM: Rodri (Manchester City): City may have collectively been below their best at Bramall Lane, but Rodri was still a cut above. Dominated the midfield, as usual, and popped up with a well-taken matchwinner to earn all three points for the champions. Getty

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  CM: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United): A proper captain’s performance to lead a United recovery from falling 2-0 down inside the first four minutes against Nottingham Forest. Provided a superb headed assist for Casemiro’s equaliser, before keeping his cool to score the winner from the penalty spot. AFP

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  CM: James Maddison (Tottenham): An early shout for signing of the season? The England playmaker scored his first goal for Spurs in the win at Bournemouth and provided a constant threat with his creativity and ability on the ball. Reuters

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  RF: Raheem Sterling (Chelsea): Never deserved to be on the losing side against West Ham, and was once again by far the best player on the pitch as Chelsea registered their first win of the season with a comfortable 3-0 stroll past Luton Town. Sterling scored the first two goals and constantly terrified the life out of the Luton defence. It’s not premature to say he looks back to his best. Getty

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  LF: Moussa Diaby (Aston Villa): Already justifying the hype from when Aston Villa signed him this summer from Bayer Leverkusen. After ripping Hibernian to shreds in the Europa League in midweek, the France international was central to Villa’s 3-1 win at Burnley, assisting Cash’s second goal and scoring the third with a classy first-time finish. PA

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  CF: Darwin Nunez (Liverpool): A devastating 20-minute cameo from the Uruguayan striker. Sent on in the 77th-minute as 10-man Liverpool chased an equaliser at Newcastle United, Nunez produced two lethal finishes to earn the Reds a dramatic 2-1 victory. Spells like this suggest he can have a prolific season following his inconsistent debut campaign. Reuters

It all seems to be going on at Liverpool Football Club at the moment.

On a day when fresh speculation emerged strongly linking star player Mohamed Salah with a move to Saudi Arabia, and as the club continues to flap in the transfer market, Jurgen Klopp took his team to St James' Park for a tough Premier League encounter with Newcastle United.

The assignment was made all the more challenging when Liverpool, already trailing 1-0 when Anthony Gordon latched on to a Trent Alexander-Arnold howler to open the scoring, were reduced to 10 men for a second successive week. While the club successfully overturned Alexis Mac Allister's red card against Bournemouth, it's unlikely they'll have the same luck with Virgil van Dijk's dismissal.

For much of the remaining hour or so, it felt like damage limitation. That was until Darwin Nunez emerged from the bench to fire a lethal late double and hand Liverpool a dramatic victory over a shell-shocked Newcastle.

It capped another entertaining weekend of Premier League football, which began on Friday night at Stamford Bridge where Chelsea eased to their first win of the season with a comfortable 3-0 breeze past struggling Luton Town.

Saturday started with the early kick-off at Vitality Stadium as Tottenham continued their post-Harry Kane era with another encouraging victory, this time 2-0 against Bournemouth.

There was then plenty of drama at Emirates Stadium where Arsenal looked to be easing to victory with a 2-1 lead over 10-man Fulham only to concede a late equaliser, while Manchester United fought back from trailing 2-0 in the opening four minutes against Nottingham Forest to win 3-2 at Old Trafford.

More alarm bells were sent ringing at Goodison Park when Everton fell to a 1-0 home defeat to Wolves, and there was a 1-1 draw between Brentford and Crystal Palace at Brentford Community Stadium.

In Saturday's late game, West Ham continued their bright start with an impressive 3-1 win at previously high-flying Brighton.

On Sunday, champions Manchester City were below their best but survived a scare against promoted Sheffield United to win 2-1 at Bramall Lane, while Aston Villa eased past Burnley 3-1 at Turf Moor.

Check out the photo gallery above to view our Premier League team of the week. To move on to the next photo, click on the arrows or swipe if using a mobile device.