Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea is superb and showed his very best against Arsenal, but Peter Schmeichel is still my No 1... plus find out who makes my Team of the Week

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I must admit I got it wrong about David de Gea when he arrived in the Premier League. 

Manchester United were at West Brom on the opening day of the 2011-12 season and I remember seeing this wiry 20-year-old in goal whose kit looked too big for him. I thought, ‘Surely he is not built for the physicality of the Premier League?’

Since then, he has made all his critics eat their words. I do not think I have seen a better shot-stopper than De Gea. He is like a character in The Matrix the way he looks as if he is slowing the ball down before making a save!

David De Gea pulled off one of his finest performances for Manchester United against Arsenal

The Spanish stopper set a Premier League record for the most saves registered in a match

De Gea's instant reflex save to get up and deny Alexis Sanchez was something truly incredible

What De Gea lacks in physical presence he more than makes up for in agility. You will struggle to see a better double-save this season than his effort to deny Alexandre Lacazette and Alexis Sanchez.

I was working with Shay Given on Saturday and asked him who was the best goalkeeper in the Premier League. In a flash he replied De Gea — and that was before the game. 

But where does De Gea sit among the best ever Premier League keepers? For me, he is second only to Peter Schmeichel, who is still the No 1.

Schmeichel was so imposing. Time and again you would be put through one-on-one, make a great connection and feel convinced you had scored — only for him to pull off a sensational save. 

He was the first goalkeeper I remember making his body into a star to be as big as possible. This is now commonplace.

Peter Schmeichel was a titan between the sticks for United, and scoring past him was special

Keep moving on up, Jesse

What a week for Jesse Lingard. After his superb solo goal to kill off Watford in midweek, he sank Arsenal with two clinical finishes.

Now he has made everyone stand up and take notice, Lingard has to keep showing why he commands a place in this Manchester United side.

All too often, he seems more interested in making sure he is part of his team-mates’ goal celebrations. Is it because he feels he needs to prove that he belongs among United’s galaxy of stars? The best way to do that is by putting in more match-winning displays.

Lingard is blessed with a cool head in front of goal. Contrast that with Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck, who often looks unbalanced when he shoots. Lingard is clearly not fussed by being in the limelight. Now he needs to create more magic moments to keep him there.

Jesse Lingard is in a hot streak of form for United and showed his worth at the Emirates

One huge positive for David Moyes was Declan Rice’s commanding display against Manchester City. 

The centre back was not fazed by one of the league’s most feared front lines and set about organising the West Ham defence, pushing and pointing his team-mates into the right positions. 

How many 18-year-olds have you seen do that? He reminds me of a young John Terry and if he isn’t already, Rice should be studying videos of his defending to develop his game.

Young defender Declan Rice (left) was a commanding presence for West Ham at the Etihad

Bad news for England — Eden Hazard is looking as sharp as I have seen him. 

While the rest of the Premier League are starting to feel the strain as the Christmas period approaches, Hazard is benefiting from his break at the start of the season. 

That does not bode well for England when they face Belgium in their final World Cup group game.

If anything, I would have preferred it if we were playing them first. Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne up first would have taken the heat off us before facing Tunisia and Panama.

Chelsea star Eden Hazard is back to his very best, which doesn't bode well for England

Big Sam should work with what he has 

When Sam Allardyce took over at Crystal Palace, I wrote in these pages that their squad was far too good to be in a relegation battle.

While Everton’s squad was left unbalanced after some muddled recruitment last summer, I similarly do not see them as relegation candidates. 

It would be a big mistake for Allardyce to splash the cash and make quick-fix, short-term signings in January. Everton have some exciting young players and can look forward to an injection of pace when Yannick Bolasie returns from injury.

Allardyce should be looking to get the best from Everton’s young stars.

Sam Allardyce has inherited a solid squad at Everton and shouldn't make any short fix signings

Team of the week