Team of the Week

David James Simon Charlton Andy O'Brien Steve Finnan Gabriel Heinze Gavin McCann Tim Cahill Luis Garcia Patrik Berger Jose Antonio Reyes Mark Viduka John Carver

After the tabloid abuse and the ignominy of being dropped by England, it was almost inevitable that David James would turn up trumps back at Manchester City.

In the absence of much communication from elsewhere in the England set-up, James' agent took centre stage this week to tell anyone who would listen about his client's incredible 'mental strength'.

He wasn't wrong. A string of top-quality stops were not quite good enough to earn lacklustre City a point against Everton, but James is the first name on our teamsheet nonetheless.

The big keeper has an unfashionable collection of defenders ahead of him, including two centre-backs of the 'good, honest professional' variety.

Andy O'Brien has suffered many a broken nose in the Newcastle cause and he marshalled his men to a first clean sheet of the season against Blackburn. His goal - a second in two games - was a welcome bonus.

Alongside the Irishman is Norwich veteran Simon Charlton, who also takes this week's 'Terry Butcher award' for battling on after taking a kick in the ribs from Fredi Kanoute at Tottenham.

The Canaries had chances to win but Nigel Worthington will take the point and the clean sheet, which came in no small part because of Charlton's persistent tackling and fearless blocking.

At right-back is Steve Finnan, who has managed to stay afloat at Liverpool despite the invasion of the Spanish Armada and predictions that he would be among the casualties of Rafael Benitez's arrival.

Finnan has showed admirable adaptability, slotting in at the back or wide in midfield as required, but few could have imagined he could turn his hand to the kind of Thierry Henry impression which took him past two West Brom players to score the Reds' second goal.

If Finnan has dug in at Anfield and reaped the rewards, Gabriel Heinze has plenty of lost time to make up at Old Trafford.

The Argentine forewent his club duties (though not his pay packet) to turn out for his country at the Olympics and eventually fetched up in Manchester in the apparent belief that United would be honoured to have an Olympic gold medallist in their ranks.

That might not have impressed his new supporters, but the kind of sterling service he put in at Bolton and the ability to help out United's attack in the other box certainly made the right impression.

Heinze is joined in our line-up by a fellow Olympian - Tim Cahill of Everton, who has had an instant impact at Goodison Park since Australia's Athens campaign came to an end.

Cahill arrived from Millwall in the summer with a reputation as a goalscoring midfielder with poor discipline. He lived up to both billings by scoring the winner at Manchester City and promptly getting sent off for his over-exuberant celebrations. Replays confirmed referee Steve Bennett was the real offender there, though, so Cahill gets the nod.

Joining the Aussie in the centre is Gavin McCann, who surely sent the Prozone software into meltdown as he inspired Aston Villa to a point against Chelsea.

No-nonsense tackling and plenty of hard graft are the staples of McCann's game. On Saturday, that was good enough.

To the left of those two there is a place for the rejuvenated Patrik Berger, who is profiting from a bit of respite from his creaking knees and the faith of Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp.

The Czech has always had a hammer of a left foot and he followed up last month's stunner at Charlton with another brilliant effort as Pompey saw off Crystal Palace.

Completing the midfield is Luis Garcia, the least heralded of the Spaniards signed by Liverpool this summer, but arguably the most effective so far.

It was not just his goal - a simple tap-in - which caught the eye against West Brom. His clever runs - on the ball and off - and ability to find gaps suggested Liverpool might have found the player they were looking for when they signed Harry Kewell.

Garcia is one of several imports from Spain dipping their toe in Premiership waters - something unheard of a few years ago. The first high-profile arrival was Jose Antonio Reyes, who is currently on a one-man mission to wrap up the player-of-the-year gong before winter bites.

The Arsenal striker has already trousered the August award and he staked an early claim for September's by dragging an off-colour Arsenal from the brink of defeat - well, a draw anyway - at Fulham.

The champions laboured until Arsene Wenger brought Reyes off the bench, and nine minutes later they were 3-0 up as the 21-year-old kept up his goal-a-game record.

Joining Reyes up front - and completing the line-up - is Mark Viduka, whose budding partnership with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink at Middlesbrough looks about ready to bloom.

Viduka finished off the Dutchman's pass to put Boro ahead against Birmingham and then scored the winner with an opportunistic header. And all with a smile on his face, too.

Managing this week's motley crew for the first and, almost certainly, the last time is Mr John Carver, who came out on top in the battle of the stand-ins at St James' Park.

Blackburn's Tony Parkes is an old hand at the caretaker game but he had no answer to Carver's Newcastle. His reward? The sack, along with the rest of the Magpies back-room staff as Graeme Souness' new broom swept clean.

Email newsdesk@soccernet.com with your thoughts.