The five best players in the Premier League so far

Now we are past the ten match mark, the table is settling into position, and players have had time to bed into new clubs or formations. With that in mind, which five players have started the league in the most impressive fashion?

1. Robin van Persie. Despite his prolific season last year Arsenal, there were some questions over how the Dutchman would fit in at Manchester United, and whether he'd be able to sustain his incredible strike rate. Already it looks like he will do even better at his new club. Van Persie's early goal against his old club at the weekend was his eighth of the campaign. Adding in the three assists he has contributed, van Persie has been directly involved in eleven of United's 26 goals this season, and he has been the driving force behind them sitting top of the table after ten matches. Perhaps his influence can be best summed up by saying if he was at Manchester City or Chelsea, you would expect them to run away with the league. By picking up the Dutchman in the summer, United may have given themselves a vital edge in the title race.

2. Juan Mata. The Spaniard may have been a little jaded for the first couple of games this season but has been inspired since returning from an early season break. In the past five league matches Mata has set up five goals, and scored four himself. His run was brought to a halt by injury last week, and Chelsea ended up drawing at Swansea without his influence. Mata was very good last year for Chelsea, but has stepped up a further level this season, and if he continues his current form, you can see him firing Chelsea to the title.

3. Luis Suarez. Whatever your view of Suarez as a character, his performances mark him out as a truly outstanding talent. Suarez has been carrying his club's attacking threat this season, and without him Liverpool would be in all kinds of trouble. If you take Suarez's seven goals and two assists out of the equation, Liverpool would be rock bottom, with only two points to show from their first ten matches. Right now Suarez is being asked to do just about everything for Liverpool upfront, fortunately for them, he's been up to the challenge so far.

4. Miguel Michu. The second new signing on the list, but the only one who is in his first season in the Premier League, Michu has taken to the league like a duck (or indeed a swan) to water. The Spaniard was relatively unheralded when he arrived at Swansea in the summer, despite his excellent goal scoring record in La Liga, but he burst out the blocks with a brace in his first match, and has consistently found the net since then even as Swansea's form has dipped. Recently moved from his attacking midfield position to play as an out and out striker for his side, Michu has six goals for his side so far this season, and at £2 million, looks like the bargain of the summer.

5. Marouane Fellaini. Everton had one of the best starts in the league, winning four of their first six games, and though they have drawn the next four fixtures, the form of Marouane Fellaini has remained impressive. The Belgian has only missed one match so far, and has picked up five goals and two assists in the nine games he has played. Most recently he fired in an excellent brace that should have given his team three points at Fulham, only for the London side to score a late equaliser. Playing just off the front man or in a more traditional midfield role, Fellaini is a constant threat to the opposition's goal, and vital to Everton's push for Europe this season.

Do you agree with the selections? Who should be on the list and who shouldn't be?

image: © Viking-

Nick Harris

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I'm Nick Harris, Spurs fan and sports writer. Alongside HITC, I'm the founder, editor, writer, and fan of footballspirals.com and can be found on Twitter - @nicksharris. When I'm not watching sport I'm usually drinking coffee and checking updates on my phone in an antisocial manner.