🦁 Premier League Player of the Week: A perfect birthday present | OneFootball

On the Premier League's return to action, Manchester City were thrashed by Tottenham at home, Rúben Amorim finally made his Manchester United bow and Liverpool won a thriller.

But which player was the standout?

James Maddison (Tottenham)

📸 Naomi Baker - 2024 Getty Images

It was a packed field this week for the honour of Player of the Week.

Matheus Cunha continued his sensational form with a ruthless showing for Wolves at Fulham, Bukayo Saka tortured Nottingham Forest, Enzo Fernández is showing big signs of improvement and Mo Salah sent out a message (in more ways than one).

So when it came to settling on someone, Spurs midfielder Maddison gets the deciding vote by virtue of his outstanding performance in his side's 4-0 win over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium - and the fact that he did so on his 28th birthday.

How could we rule against a birthday boy?

Maddison was the architect of City's fifth straight defeat and was responsible more than any other individual on the field for the ending of the Premier League champions' 52-game unbeaten run at home.

He scored twice in the opening 20 minutes to get Tottenham going and from there, neither he nor his team-mates looked back.

His first came when he ghosted in at the back to steer home from a deep cross, before a deft chip double their advantage.

In addition, the former Leicester man won 100% of his tackles and take-ons, nine duels and five fouls as well as delivering on the defensive side of his game by recovering the ball five times and providing two clearances in an all-action outing.

"He was really good for us earlier in the year and then there was a lean spell with a couple of flat games but the whole team had that and I believe there is more in Madders," his coach Ange Postecoglou said afterwards in praise of the playmaker.

"He was outstanding and you have to be against City. I've never doubted his ability. I thought the kind of game we were expecting would suit him.

"We needed his ability to keep the ball in tight midfield areas and he did that. He was great."

Even when he dropped in at left-back, City never got a handle on how to deal with him and it is a performance that will surely catch the eye of England boss Thomas Tuchel too.

Maddison made no secret of his heartbreak at missing out on England's Euro 2024 squad and has also been notably absent from Lee Carsley's interim sides too, but a fresh face in charge and a resurgence in form could result in a return to the fold.

Should that call come?

📸 PAUL ELLIS - AFP or licensors