Premier League Team of the Week: Lacazette, Lukaku and Hazard feature

Premier League best XI for matchweek 4, including Alexandre Lacazette, Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard.

Arsenal and Manchester United picked up vital away wins thanks to their star strikers in the fourth week of the Premier League season. Alexandre Lacazette inspired the Gunners to a 3-2 victory over Cardiff with a goal and an assist, before Romelu Lukaku bagged a brace against Burnley at Turf Moor.

United and Arsenal were under extra pressure to win after Chelsea and Liverpool had each made it four victories in a row. Eden Hazard sparkled as the Blues saw off Bournemouth 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, after Liverpool had beaten Leicester 2-1 on Saturday.

The Reds weren’t at their fluent best but still leaned on improved defending led by center-back Virgil van Dijk. His partnership with Joe Gomez frustrated the Foxes despite some shaky moments from goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

Find out who else who made the team of the week:

Goalkeeper: Rui Patricio, Wolves

Newly promoted Wolves had already proved their mettle with draws against Everton and Manchester City. Further resolve was on display as the winners of the Championship last season added to West Ham’s misery at the London Stadium.

Wolves were able to play a cagey game and wait for their moments to strike thanks to Goalkeeper Rui Patricio. The 30-year-old stopper bossed his area with authority and decisiveness to render West Ham’s aerial threat meaningless.

Patricio wouldn’t be passed when the Hammers turned up the pressure after the break. He turned away promising chances for both Marko Arnautovic and Michail Antonio.

Those saves kept Wolves in the game ling enough for Adama Traore to win it late on.

Defender: Jose Holebas, Watford

Watford’s perfect start to the season continued at Tottenham’s expense on Sunday when the Hornets came back to win 2-1 at Vicarage Road. The comeback was led by enterprising play from full-backs Daryl Janmaat and Jose Holebas.

Right-back Janmaat lifted several teasing crosses into the box to let striker Troy Deeney bully the Tottenham defense. Yet it was Holebas whose contributions proved more decisive, though, as his corner allowed Deeney to turn in the equaliser.

A bigger moment arrived for Holebas 14 minutes from time when the 34-year-old put a free-kick onto the head of Craig Cathcart for the winner.

Supplying goals has become a niche for Holebas:

His energy and creativity from the flanks, along with the ability to break from deep, are proving vital weapons in manager Javi Gracia’s counter-attacking plan.

Defender: Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool

Liverpool no longer look reckless, desperate or even hypocritical for spending £75 million on Van Dijk back in January. World’s most-expensive defender is a label the former Southampton ace more than merits after the way he’s solidified Liverpool’s back four.

The Reds had kept 10 clean sheets in 17 matches with Van Dijk in the lineup before Saturday’s trip to Leicester. Although Rachid Ghezzal ended the stubborn streak after profiting from a mistake by Alisson, Van Dijk still held Liverpool’s defense together under increasing pressure.

His calmness, anticipation and timing foiled the Foxes’ most threatening forays forward. Van Dijk’s experience also proved vital alongside Joe Gomez, with the 21-year-old needing the senior man to help him avoid danger.

Van Dijk has quickly become exactly what Liverpool paid for: a true talisman at the back.

Defender: Craig Cathcart, Watford

Craig Cathcart’s header ended Tottenham’s winning start while maintaining the Hornets’ run. It also capped a strong display from the Northern Ireland center-back who worked hard to keep Spurs’ forward line in check.

Tottenham offered a contrasting threat defined by the power of striker Harry Kane and the pace of winger Lucas Moura. Fortunately, Cathcart proved up to the task of subduing both.

He stood tall against Kane, sometimes losing the No. 10 in the box, but generally getting touch-tight to Tottenham’s biggest threat. Cathcart also stayed aware of Moura’s movement and his ability to run off Kane and attack the angles between full-backs and center-backs.

Cathcart’s steady performances are another reason for Watford’s shock start.

Defender: Kyle Walker, Manchester City

The champions hardly sparkled during their 2-1 win over Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium. When their main stars up top struggle at least the Citizens can rely on the effectiveness of right-back Kyle Walker.

His energy, efficient use of the ball and shooing power eventually broke the spirit of the stubborn Magpies. Walker leaned on his shooting power to drive in the winner seven minutes after the break.

City needed the inspiration since center-forward Sergio Aguero was unusually quiet. Meanwhile, playmaker David Silva and wing wizard Riyad Mahrez were both stymied by Newcastle’s deep-lying defensive block.

It needed Walker’s tireless running and exploiting of space out wide to stretch the visitors and eventually break their shape. His status as match-winner was just reward for such an industrious display.

Versatile full-backs are vital to City’s success, with Walker already an essential member of the starting XI.

Midfielder: Eden Hazard, Chelsea

Hazard’s magic can inspire Chelsea to the title based on the way the No. 10 tore though Bournemouth on Saturday. Hazard danced past the Cherries with impudent bravado allied to devastating end product.

Chelsea needed the combination to seal the points late on. The clincher came when Hazard dovetailed effortlessly with Marcos Alonso, taking the left-back’s return pass before arrowing a shot in.

Scoring the winner means Hazard already has a pair of goals and as many assists to his credit this season. It’s obvious the mercurial 27-year-old is adapting smoothly to manager Maurizio Sarri’s tactics and may be hitting peak form.

Hazard at his best is an ominous sign for the rest of the title contenders.

Midfielder: Jean Michael Seri, Fulham

Jean Michael Seri continues to exert his influence and class at the heart of Fulham’s midfield. The Ivory Coast international was at his creative best during Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Brighton.

Seri played some exceptional passes, none more imaginative than the lifted ball to tee up Andre Schurrle for the Cottagers’ opener. The sweet assist was a nice follow-up act to the stellar goal Seri netted in last week’s 4-2 win over Burnley.

His vision and technique kept Fulham firmly in control for just over an hour against Brighton. The Seagulls eventually came back to salvage a draw from 2-0 down, but Fulham’s collapse had little to do with Seri.

Instead, he’s already making many, including Ligue 1 analyst Matt Spiro, wonder why big clubs didn’t make a bigger play during the summer:

Count on Seri getting better as Fulham become more assimilated to life in the top flight.

Midfielder: Raheem Sterling, Manchester City

Raheem Sterling was one of the few City attackers who appeared anywhere close to his best against Newcastle. The England man opened the scoring with a superb curling shot just eight minutes into the match, a quality strike reminiscent of his brilliant goal against Arsenal earlier this season.

Both goals have showcased a genuine improvement in Sterling’s game as a finisher. He seems more confident and ruthless when a chance comes his way, acting quickly to seize the moment.

It’s a far cry from the hesitancy so often characteristic when Sterling has been in on goal in previous years. While he’s always had the pace to stretch any back line, as well as the intuition and movement to expertly time his runs off the ball, Sterling is finally adding efficiency.

The combination means City are going to be blessed with a special attacker for years to come.

Striker: Alexandre Lacazette, Arsenal

Arsenal needed Lacazette to help overcome yet more defensive blunders against Cardiff. The Gunners’ generosity at the back didn’t matter after the Frenchman had the final say to settle an entertaining five-goal contest.

Lacazette took his goal brilliantly when he controlled a deft pass from impressive substitute Lucas Torreira in the box. His next touch was to slam a shot into the top corner despite Bluebirds keeper Neil Etheridge appearing to have his near post covered.

The goal added an appropriate flourish to a complete performance:

There was more to Laczette’s game than his goal. He operated like a classic No. 9, playing with his back to goal and linking well with others, particularly fellow frontman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

On this form, he has to become a fixture of a starting XI head coach Unai Emery continues to tweak as he searches for the formula for consistency.

Striker: Glenn Murray, Brighton

Two weeks after tormenting United, Glenn Murray continued his late-career renaissance with a masterful display of finishing against Fulham. Facing a 2-0 deficit, the Seagulls needed their 34-year-old striker’s keen eye for goal.

His timing and experience were obvious when he ran the line well early to help win a penalty. Pascal Gross couldn’t take the chance from 12 yards, but Murray proved more ruthless when chances came his way later on.

His first finish was routine from close range, even though it showcased Murray’s instincts for sniffing out chances. The finish from the spot when Brighton were awarded a second penalty after Aleksandar Mitrovic was flagged for handball, was even better.

Murray showed no nerves as he stepped forward in confident and determined mood to sweep an unstoppable shot into the top corner.

There aren’t a lot of goals in this Brighton team, so Murray’s enduring ability to find the net makes him invaluable.

Striker: Romelu Lukaku, Manchester United

It was hardly surprising United relied on Lukaku to get back to winning ways. The man who was virtually an ever-present at center-forward last season eased nerves when he put the Red Devils in front after 27 minutes.

Lukaku had finished after dominating Burnley’s usually aggressive and resolute defense in the air. He kept things on the deck for his second when he slotted in from close range a minute before the break.

It was the finish of a true goal-hanger, and proof of why the towering 25-year-old has been so prolific from a young age:

Given how much manager Jose Mourinho trusts his No. 9, expect Lukaku to go on a lengthy scoring run after a confidence-boost this significant.