EPL Hot 11: Van Persie Top, Nani, Rooney, Ba, More Score Doubles in MD 15

Robin van Persie once again tops this week's edition of the Premier League Hot 11.

Three Manchester United players climb back into the rankings after very effective performances in the club's 4-1 win over the weekend.

Demba Ba continues his run of good form with a double. Matthew Etherington and Grant Holt provided two-goal efforts of their own.

Every week, 11 footballers in the Premier League will make up the EPL Hot 11, a fluctuating power ranking that highlights the top performers over the course of the entire season. Dependent on their match-day performances, players may move up or down the list each week.

Robin van Persie

Robin van Persie kept his hot scoring form with a brilliant first-touch strike that would prove to be the decisive goal in an otherwise lackluster match between the Gunners and the Toffees.

The Arsenal captain took a beautiful lofted through ball from Alex Song in the 70^th minute. With picture-perfect technique, van Persie’s left-footed volley gave Tim Howard no chance as the ball clanked off the far post and into the net.

Van Persie increased his league-leading goal count to 15 as he has failed to score just once in his last eight contests, picking up 12 goals over that span.

Nani

In Manchester United's 4-1 win over Wolverhampton Saturday, Nani kicked things off with a splendid 17th-minute goal.

After controlling a switch from Luis Antonio Valencia, Nani was allowed far too much space. With no on-ball pressure, the Portuguese international created plenty of room just outside the center of the box before lashing a powerful, low shot to beat the keeper at the near post.

Just 10 minutes later, Nani provided an assist for Wayne Rooney. After Nani's lead pass in front of the box, Rooney's space-creating first touch allowed him to unleash a shot that wrong-footed Wayne Hennessey.

In the 56th minute, Nani was almost gifted a goal from Valencia. The quick-footed Nani posted up just outside the six-yard box before sliding his effort into the back of the net.

That makes two goals and two assists in two games for the 25-year-old.

Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney had gone eight league matches without a goal, but a two-score effort against Wolves put the United striker back on track.

Rooney made it 2-0 in the 27th minute after taking a Nani lead pass and rocketing a shot that gave the keeper no chance to his right.

Putting a stamp on the scoreline in the 62nd minute, Rooney connected with Antonio Valencia off a cross in the box. Taking the ball off one bounce, Rooney took his shot first touch to beat Wayne Hennessey again to his right.

Rooney's double kicked him into a three-way tie with Man City's Sergio Aguero and Newcastle's Demba Ba for second in the league in scoring with 11 goals.

Demba Ba

If the Hot 11 was condensed into just three or four slots, Newcastle's Demba Ba certainly would make that list.

Although Ba and his colleagues would have favored a different result, the Frenchman added two goals to his already fantastic 2011-2012 campaign.

With 11 goals on the season, Ba ranks second in a three-way tie for most goals scored in the Premier League so far.

In a 4-2 defeat to Norwich City, Ba scored in the 45th and 71st minutes.

Though his scoring form has been sporadic of late, nobody can argue with his production. Six goals over six games is ideal for any in-form striker.

Matthew Ehterington

Matthew Etherington notched a first-half double that stood solid in Stoke City's 2-1 win over one of the Premier League's most in-form clubs, Tottenham.

After Peter Crouch determinedly corralled a deflected cross in the 13th minute, Etherington swooped into the six-yard box to finish with authority for his first league goal since April, which coincidentally was against Spurs.

A long throw-in in the 43rd minute had Jonathan Walters head a pass down to Etherington, who struck the ball into the ground, leaving keeper Brad Friedel with no chance.

Etherington's double marked his first two goals of the campaign and broke Spurs' 11-game unbeaten run.

Grant Holt

Grant Holt has done most of his damage in a substitute's role, but the Norwich City striker was awarded with just his second start in 11 appearances against Newcastle. The 30-year-old did not disappoint.

Holt's double was instrumental in the Canaries' 4-2 win over the Magpies as he scored a couple of decisive goals that decreased pressure for Norwich.

In the 59th minute, David Fox's cross met Holt in the center of the box. Holt's initial header was parried into the ground, but the striker sprung right back up to head in the rebound.

After Demba Ba recorded his second goal to close the Norwich advantage to 3-2, Holt struck again with a powerful header following a Bradley Johnson set piece in the 82nd to finalize the scoreline.

Holt has 14 league appearances this season. In his first seven, he managed just one goal. But in his last seven, the Englishman has five.

Luis Antonio Valencia

In just his third league start of the campaign, Antonio Valencia provided a career performance in a 4-1 win over Wolves with three assists.

A switch in the 17th minute from right to left gave the Nani plenty of space to create a shot on goal, finishing with a grounded effort at the near post.

Next in the 56th minute, after starting on the right flank, the skillful Ecuadorian dribbled into the box with little pressure, providing a simple ball into the six-yard box where Nani could not miss.

Just six minutes later, Valencia again did damage on the right side of the box. After freeing up space for a cross, Valencia found Wayne Rooney on the opposite end before the England international buried his effort with his first touch for a 4-1 scoreline.

Mario Balotelli

Manchester City got off to a quick start via Mario Balotelli's second-minute goal at Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea would get the last laugh in a 2-1 result in west London Monday.

It looked as if City would run away at the Bridge. After Sergio Aguero made a clever turn to avoid a couple of challenges, an outside-of-the-foot pass split the Chelsea defenders and opened up space for Balotelli to work his magic. A solid first touch followed by a sidestep around the keeper left the net wide open, and the Italian would not miss.

Balotelli's score made it seven goals in 10 games for the 21-year-old, but the fiery striker made less of every subsequent chance.

Still, the ever-moody Balotelli is proving to be one of City's most consistent options in the final third.

Steve Morison

The hottest player for Norwich City has to be Steve Morison.

In his last six league appearances, Morison has recorded five goals, including three over a three-game span.

Against Newcastle, Morison's 63rd-minute goal proved crucial in Norwich's 4-2 win at Carrow Road.

Andrew Crofts' cross into the middle of the box allowed Morison to power a header at the near post to build a 3-1 advantage.

Sebastian Larsson

Take your pick between a couple of Sunderland players in Seb Larsson and David Vaughan.

Both scored late goals to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 result at the Stadium of Light to help new manager Martin O'Neill to his first win at the club since signing a three-year deal last weekend.

Vaughan blasted a loose ball from distance in the 84th minute, giving the Black Cats some hope as the game dwindled into the final minutes.

But it was Larsson who implemented the finishing touch two minutes into stoppage time. From just outside the box, the Swedish international curled in his effort over the wall and off the bottom of the upright to steal three points for the club.

In what was one of a handful of phenomenal goals for the 26-year-old this season, Larsson has scored twice in three games for Sunderland.

Steven Fletcher

Although Wolves faced a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester United, Steven Fletcher continued his own run of good form with the club's lone goal.

Going into the half down 2-0, it took just two minutes after the restart for Fletcher and Matt Jarvis to connect. Jarvis' cross from the left side of the box found Fletcher at the peak of his jump as the 24-year-old put in a header that could not be kept out.

For the Scot, the goal makes five in six games and three in his last two, though Wolves have little to show during that span.