Premier League mid-season Best XI 

RB: Matt Doherty (Wolves)

Doherty celebrates scoring against Newcastle

The only player in this XI from outside the top 6, Doherty has settled into life in the Premier League remarkably well. In an expensively assembled Wolverhampton squad filled to the brim with Portuguese talent, the Irishman stands out as one of their longest serving players.

Having played every single match so far, Doherty already has an impressive 3 goals and 3 assists. For a team that has scored only 20 goals so far, those are quite some stats.

Defensively, Wolves have conceded only 22 goals, and although the 26-year-old plays as a right wing-back, he's done his job incredibly well. Alexander-Arnold and Walker are other contenders for this position, but Doherty has to be given his due credit for brilliantly adapting to the pace and physicality of the English top flight.

CB: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Player of the season so far?

Perhaps the least surprising selection. Klopp's £75 million gamble has paid off big time for Liverpool. Based on current form, van Dijk is probably the best centre-back in England, and certainly one of the top 3 in Europe. The Reds will definitely be harboring lofty domestic and continental ambitions this season, and if the Dutchman can maintain the level of his performances, they can certainly end their 28-year title drought.

Alongside Alisson, van Dijk will probably go down as one of the best pieces of business Jurgen Klopp has pulled off in his reign at Anfield.

CB: Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City)

Laporte has been one of Guardiola's most important players this season

Laporte was City's most expensive signing when they bought him for £57 million from Bilbao, and he's proven to be worth every single penny so far.

There are few players immune from Guardiola's notorious rotation policy, and the 24-year-old Frenchman is one of them. He's been rested only once in the league this season and has displayed a maturity that is way beyond his age.

Perhaps most importantly, he's excellent on the ball, which is one of the most important criteria for a Guardiola centre-back. In Laporte and Stones, City have an excellent defensive partnership for several years to come.

LB: Andy Robertson (Liverpool)

Robertson in action against Napoli in the Champions League

It's no coincidence that 3 players from the best defensive team in the division form the back line of this XI. But Andy Robertson's contributions this season go beyond just stopping oppositions from scoring.

The former Hull City man has 3 assists in 17 Premier League appearances this season. Liverpool's current midfield has a distinct lack of creativity, which means that a large burden of creating goalscoring chances falls to their attacking full backs.

Robertson's meteoric rise since arriving at Anfield has even been rewarded by his international manager Alex McLeish, who appointed him as Scotland's captain earlier this year.