Kone, Coutinho, Koscielny and Ozil in team of the week

After a weekend that saw Jurgen Klopp push Jose Mourinho closer to the Chelsea exit and Man United fail to score for a third game in succession, Man City still sit atop the Premier League table, level on points with Arsenal but ahead on goal difference, while Leicester are up to third after their victory over West Brom.

It was a good week for the two Merseyside clubs, as Liverpool got up and running under their new manager with a fine win at the once impregnable Stamford Bridge and Everton thrashed lowly Sunderland.

But who were the stars of the show over the weekend? Here's The Week's pick of the experts' favourites:

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Goalkeeper: Jack Butland (Stoke City)

For once there is only one candidate for goalkeeper of the weekend, and on the day that Joe Hart blotted his copybook by dropping a cross at the feet of Cameron Jerome, Butland made his case for the England jersey, says Goal.com, as he "made a series of stunning stops to earn his side a point at St James's Park this weekend".

Defence: Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Martin Skrtel (Liverpool), Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal), Nicolas Otamendi (Man City)

It's not just Butland sending a message to Roy Hodgson, says the website The Offside Rule. "Bertrand is doing his utmost to establish himself as England’s first choice left-back with Luke Shaw out injured and Kieran Gibbs being out of sorts, and this display in the south coast win over Bournemouth will do him no harm."

Liverpool defender Skrtel earns a place thanks to an often overlooked skill – calmness. "In the face of provocation from an old foe in Diego Costa... Martin Skrtel was a picture of calm," says ESPN. "Not rising to the bait and continuing to nullify an increasingly spent force in the match, the Slovakian was imperious in Liverpool's fine 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge."

Arsenal centre-back Koscielny got on the scoresheet against Swansea and was the second-highest scoring outfield player on Fantasy Premier League. He was another near universal choice and made both Harry Redknapp's team for the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Star's XI.

The final berth goes to another scoring centre-back, Otamendi of Man City. "The speed in which Nicolas Otamendi has acclimatised to the rigours of the Premier League and settled into the City set-up has been quite remarkable and a testimony to the lad's ability," says Garth Crooks of the BBC.

Midfield: Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City), Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Gerard Deulofeu (Everton)

On a week of relative consensus among the experts, Leicester midfielder Mahrez gets into every team with a performance that reminded Crooks of former England star Martin Peters. He, like Koscielny, managed 15 FPL points.

Coutinho is another universal choice after his two goals sank Chelsea. "The Brazilian tormented Chelsea's defence throughout the 90 minutes and scored two excellent goals to pile the pressure on Jose Mourinho," says Goal.com.

More silky work from Arsenal creator Ozil caught the eye of many pundits. He has got the Gunners purring and after two assists against Swansea ESPN believes he is "finally displaying the delicious eye for a pass and exhibiting fluid movement that we all know he is capable of".

Everton youngster Deulofeu was key to the Toffees' dismantling of Sunderland on Sunday, and his impact was felt globally. He makes the team of the week selected by The National in Abu Dhabi, which says the young Spaniard "ran riot against Sunderland... scoring one goal and making two more, including a wonderful pass to Romelu Lukaku".

Attack: Arouna Kone (Everton), Odion Ighalo (Watford)

Top FPL points scorer of the week was Everton striker Kone, whose hat-trick earned him 20 points. "The Ivorian terrorised the Black Cats's defence throughout the encounter at Goodison Park," says Goal.com.

Watford striker Ighalo scored both goals as Watford derailed high-flying West Ham. His fine form has " gone under the radar" says ESPN, which notes that so far this season "he has either scored or assisted every one of Watford's past nine goals".