We sort the wheat from the chaff after the latest round of Premier League action, and it's no surprise to see the reigning champions well-represented in our Team of the Week after their 5-1 humbling of Kevin Keegan's hapless Newcastle.

HOW IT WORKS

We tot up the marks out of 10 awarded in five national newspapers - The Sun, The Mirror, The Mail, The Times and The Guardian - to create a total out of 50. The top player in each position will be rewarded with a spot in the team of the week, while the worst scorers will be named and shamed in our Flops XI.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Wayne Rooney (pictured) is our player of the week after his well-taken brace helped Man United to a thumping 5-1 win at Newcastle. He was ably abetted by both Cristiano Ronaldo and Michael Carrick , whose performances of late may well have caught the eye of a certain Signor Capello. Elsewhere, Liverpool's hat-trick hero Fernando Torres is rewarded for single-handedly downing Middlesbrough, and Blackburn's David Dunn earns due recognition for his triple assist-making performance against Bolton.

1. Brad Friedel (Blackburn Rovers) - 35

2. Mario Melchiot (Wigan Athletic) - 36

3. Glen Johnson (Portsmouth) - 34

4. Paul Scharner (Wigan Athletic) - 35

5. Martin Laursen (Aston Villa) - 34

6. Michael Carrick (Manchester United) - 39

7. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) - 42

8. David Dunn (Blackburn Rovers) - 41

9. Fernando Torres (Liverpool) - 42

10. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) - 43

11. James McFadden (Birmingham City) - 41

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FLOPS OF THE WEEK

Villain of the moment Martin Taylor captains our Flops XI, after his season-ending third minute tackle on Eduardo and subsequent dismissal were rewarded by a record-breakingly low weekly total of just 8 points. The supporting cast contains its fair share of boo boys, with Robbie Savage and Joey Barton forming what would probably be one of the most unpopular midfield partnerships in football history.

1. Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough) - 27

2. Steven Taylor (Newcastle United) - 23

3. Jay McEveley (Derby County) - 21

4. Martin Taylor (Birmingham City) - 8

5. Kalifa Cisse (Reading) - 20

6. Robbie Savage (Derby County) - 20

7. Giles Barnes (Derby County) - 21

8. Joey Barton (Newcastle United) - 18

9. Alan Smith (Newcastle United) - 19

10. Michael Owen (Newcastle United) - 22

11. Hossam Ghaly (Derby County) - 20

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TEAM OF THE SEASON (minimum 14 starts)

There are few changes to our Team of the Season, although Gael Clichy's crucial lapse of concentration at the end of the Birmingham-Arsenal game costs him a place in the side. Rooney remains out on his own as Player of the Season, despite the headline-grabbing exploits of his team-mate and nearest rival, Ronaldo.

1. Joe Hart (Manchester City) - 33.13 average

2. Kolo Toure (Arsenal) - 33.45

3. Joleon Lescott (Everton) - 34.44

4. Martin Laursen (Aston Villa) - 33.73

5. Richard Dunne (Manchester City) - 33.76

6. Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal) - 34.11

7. Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United) - 35.1

8. Mikel Arteta (Everton) - 34.19

9. Carlos Tevez (Manchester United) - 33.85

10. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) - 35.71

11. Ashley Young (Aston Villa) - 34.4

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FLOPS OF THE SEASON

Basement club Derby continue to supply nearly half of the members of our Flops of the Season, but they're also joined by fourth-highest England international goalscorer Michael Owen. Benni McCarthy's brace of penalties against Bolton isn't enough to haul him out of the team just yet.

1. Paul Robinson (Tottenham Hotspur) - 29.88

2. Andy Griffin (Derby County) - 26.38

3. Jay McEveley (Derby County) - 26.65

4. Ibrahima Sonko (Reading) - 27.11

5. Claude Davis (Derby County) - 26.97

6. Robbie Savage (Derby County) - 28.25

7. Alan Smith (Newcastle United) - 27.15

8. Brynjar Gunnarsson (Reading) - 27.69

9. Michael Owen (Newcastle United) - 26.65

10. Benni McCarthy (Blackburn Rovers) - 28.26

11. Craig Fagan (Derby County) - 28.12

Tom Williams / Eurosport