Premier League Team of the Week: De Bruyne, Kane and Sanchez star

Premier League team of the week, featuring Kevin De Bruyne, Harry Kane and Alexis Sanchez.

Harry Kane, Kevin De Bruyne and Alexis Sanchez led the way for the Premier League’s best attacking talent this week. All three were the inspiration for key wins for Tottenham, Manchester City and Arsenal.

It wasn’t all about the men in the final third, though. There were also some outstanding defensive performances during matchweek 7.

Kasper Schmeichel was stubborn between the posts for Leicester. Meanwhile, James Tarkowski was a rock during another impressive away performance from Burnley.

Here’s the best XI from this week’s matches:

Goalkeeper: Kasper Schmeichel, Leicester

A 0-0 draw didn’t do Leicester many favors in the standings. But the Foxes were at least reminded they have one of the league’s best goalkeepers.

Schmeichel was in commanding form against the Cherries at the Vitality Stadium. The Dane kept the door shut against a host of chances.

Leicester’s no. 1 was quick off his line and decisive when challenging in the air. If it wasn’t for Schmeichel, the Foxes would have been overrun by a free-flowing Bournemouth attack.

Left-Back: Ben Davies, Tottenham

Danny Rose’s injury has done nothing to slow down Spurs so far this season. Missing Rose hasn’t mattered because Ben Davies has been making the left-back berth his own.

The Wales international delivered a complete performance during the 4-0 win away to Huddersfield. Davies was quick on the flanks, comfortably tracking runners in wide areas. He was also effective in the air.

Any full-back in the modern game is going to be judged as much on what he does going forward as his defensive chops. Davies proved he can be a more than useful attacking outlet by producing a smart finish to cap a slick team move.

At this rate, Rose is going to have a hard time getting his place back in Spurs’ best starting XI.

Center-Back: Nacho Monreal, Arsenal

Arsenal’s defence has rolled down the shutters so often in recent matches largely thanks to Nacho Monreal’s experience and versatility. The Gunners kept their fourth clean sheet in as many league matches after beating Brighton 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Monreal scored the opener and routinely swept up danger at the back. It was a typically calm and assured display from one of the smartest veterans in England’s top flight.

The 31-year-old has added true balance to Arsenal’s back three. His left foot and short-area pace in wide areas are making the system work.

Most of all though, Monreal’s reading of the game continues to put him in positions to anticipate, intercept and remove danger.

Next: 25 best club soccer teams of all time

Center-back: James Tarkowski, Burnley

Sure, Everton are one-paced, one-dimensional and goal-shy. But none of those things detract from the solid-as-a-rock performance by James Tarkowski at Goodison Park.

Tarkowski was the talisman at the back for the Clarets. He was dominant in the air and on the deck on Merseyside.

Whenever Everton put together an even promising move, they usually found Tarkowski in place to make the crucial stop. Numbers from Sky Sports Statto show how active he was in front of the Burnley goal:

Still just 24, Tarkowski is steadily emerging as one of the best defenders in the league not enough people know about. More people are surely starting to take notice now, though.

Right-Back: Kyle Walker, Manchester City

De Bruyne was brilliant, David Silva dictated passing and Gabriel Jesus led the line well up front. But full-backs were the true key to City’s emphatic 1-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Fabian Delph excelled on the left, but Kyle Walker was even better at right-back. The England international who cost City a cool £50 million this summer looked worth the fee.

Walker tirelessly raided forward, stretching Chelsea’s midfield and defensive lines to breaking point. He also created overloads in central areas, as he and Delph consistently tucked infield to help City boss possession and free up midfield runners to get forward.

This was why City manager Pep Guardiola was prepared to invest so heavily in ultra-athletic full-backs this summer.

Midfielder: Abdoulaye Doucoure, Watford

Abdoulaye Doucoure is proving to be one of the surprise packages of this young Premier League season. The 24-year-old has given Watford a true box-to-box powerhouse in midfield.

Doucoure is bringing strength, energy, technique and a keen eye for goal to bear in the middle. All of those qualities were on display during Saturday’s 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion.

The midfield engine scored Watford’s first after combining well with Richarlison. He has completely remade himself as a force going forward, per OptaJean:

Watford have proved a lot of doubters wrong so far, with Doucoure’s form a big reason why.

Midfielder: Marouane Fellaini, Manchester United

He has his critics, but Marouane Fellaini continues to win over Jose Mourinho. The Manchester United manager has previously described Fellaini as “very important for me,” per MailOnline’s Mike Keegan.

Mourinho’s view was vindicated when the towering Belgian score twice during the 4-0 win over Crystal Palace at Old Trafford. Fellaini has now scored four times in as many home matches.

Including the former Everton man and his considerable aerial threat means United can go more direct and bully the opposition. It may not be pretty to watch, but Mourinho’s favourite adds another string to United’s bow tactically.

Midfielder: Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City

De Bruyne had a point to prove to the club that once let him go. He proved it with a vengeance by leading the charge as City swept aside title rivals Chelsea in ominously impressive fashion.

The only goal came from De Bruyne after a quality one-two with Jesus. He hammered the return ball in with one of the cleanest strikes you’ll see.

Next: City use full-backs, movement to replace Sergio Aguero

It was typical of the polished way De Bruyne did everything at the Bridge. He passed the ball neatly and efficiently and made intelligent runs between the midfield and forward lines.

In fact, De Bruyne’s direct movement off the ball was a key to City’s win. The 26-year-old has become the player Guardiola builds the rest of the team around.

Striker: Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal

He didn’t get on the scoresheet, but Sanchez was as responsible for the Gunners’ 2-0 win as any other player. The Chilean turned on the style from the off, but was at his irrepressible best during a a second-half display oozing class and flair.

Sanchez was quick, creative and direct as he ran the Brighton defence ragged. His signature moment was the terrific back-heel to set up Alex Iwobi to net Arsenal’s second.

It was typical Sanchez, impish, outrageous and mercurial.

Club photographer Stuart MacFarlane relayed images of this wonderful example of footballing improv:

Sanchez wasn’t satisfied, though, and soon went hunting for goals of his own. He went close enough on several occasions to convince onlookers his first league goal is not too far away.

WhoScored.com broke down a performance typical of a true attacking talisman:

Sanchez is out of contract and seemingly set for pastures new next summer. Yet he seems ready to continue treating Arsenal to his best form until then.

Romelu Lukaku, Manchester United

Nobody can deny Romelu Lukaku’s prolific start to life with United. The Belgian just can’t stop scoring in the league.

He added another against Palace, ensuring he sets the pace among the division’s deadliest goalscorers, per the league’s official Twitter account:

Lukaku set United back a pretty penny this summer, joining the Red Devils in a deal worth up to £90 million. It was a staggering fee, particularly for a player Mourinho once deemed surplus to requirements while at Chelsea.

Yet the numbers speak loudest and Lukaku has scored 10 times in nine matches.

Striker: Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur

Lukaku is firing, while Sanchez still has magic in his boots. But no striker is as ruthlessly efficient as Kane.

The Tottenham frontman is in a true purple patch. Virtually everything he hits is finding the back of the net.

Part of it is Kane’s immense natural talent as a finisher. The other part is the growing confidence of an attacker who senses the moment is ripe for him to join the sport’s elite.

Kane’s brace against Huddersfield showcased both sides of his game. Finishing quality was obvious in the calmly taken side-foot into the bottom corner when one-on-one with goalkeeper Jonas Lossl.

Confidence was at the heart of the smart turn to take Kane around two defenders, before he curled in from outside the box with his left foot.

Spurs still need to offer him more support, but Kane is getting better every week.