MX23RW : Monday, November 25 00:34:11| >> :120:13187:13187:

Sports Mole's Premier League Team of the Week

Sports Mole picks out the best 11 players from the 26th round of Premier League matches.

Chelsea and Arsenal both failed to take advantage of Manchester City's match being postponed on Wednesday evening after drawing their respective games with West Bromwich Albion and Manchester United.

Jose Mourinho's side conceded a late equaliser at The Hawthorns to draw 1-1, while the Gunners couldn't find a way through a resilient United backline as both teams were forced to settle for a goalless draw.

Liverpool struck late to record a 3-2 victory at Fulham, with Tottenham Hotspur keeping the pressure on in the race for fourth place with a resounding 4-0 success at Newcastle United.

At the other end of the table, Cardiff City remain 19th after drawing 0-0 with Aston Villa, Stoke City edged nearer to safety after holding Swansea City, while Southampton and West Ham United had too much for Hull City and Norwich City respectively.

Below, Sports Mole picks out 11 players that made an impact during the midweek action.

David Marshall (Cardiff City)
The Scottish stopper didn't have the busiest of evenings against Aston Villa, but the night will be remembered for two stunning saves, the second of which - a point-blank intervention from Andreas Weimann - ensured that his team earned an important point.

Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea)
The versatile Chelsea defender weighed in with another important goal for his side at The Hawthorns, and although the Blues failed to earn three points, the Serbian international produced a solid display.
James Collins (West Ham United)
Collins has played a huge part in West Ham's revival in recent weeks, and as well as helping the Hammers to another clean sheet, his late header put them on the way to securing a 2-0 win.
Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United)
The outgoing Manchester United defender came in for some criticism after his performance at the weekend, but the centre-back responded with a strong display at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night.
Ben Davies (Swansea City)
Both Stoke City and Swansea City had to contend with tough conditions at the Britannia Stadium, and Davies delivered an accomplished outing that helped the Welsh outfit pick up a point.

Willian (Chelsea)
After a slow start to the season, Willian has become an integral part of Chelsea's starting lineup, and the Brazilian winger was a constant threat against West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday night.
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
Gerrard has been deployed in a deeper midfield role of late, but that didn't stop the England skipper delivering a match-winning display at Craven Cottage that he capped off with a last-minute penalty.
Paulinho (Tottenham Hotspur)
Paulinho was missed in the centre of Tottenham's midfield during the turn of the year, but the Brazilian has returned to action in impressive style, netting twice in his last three games.
Santi Cazorla (Arsenal)
With Mesut Ozil struggling for form, more onus has been placed on Santi Cazorla to play a more influential part for the Gunners, and despite a frustrating night for his side, he delivered a busy performance in the attacking third.

Emmanuel Adebayor (Tottenham Hotspur)
With Roberto Soldado continuing to struggle in England, Emmanuel Adebayor has been left to lead the line for Spurs, and after netting twice against Newcastle United on Wednesday, he could be the man to help his side challenge for fourth place.
Luis Suarez (Liverpool)
Suarez didn't get on the scoresheet at Craven Cottage, but his direct approach had the Fulham defence on the back foot for 90 minutes, and the South American striker continues to be a vital part in Liverpool's bid for a Champions League spot.

Numpty of the week

Kolo Toure (Liverpool) After his error caused Liverpool to drop two points away at West Bromwich Albion two weeks ago, it seemed unlikely that Kolo Toure could make another embarrassing mistake within the space of 10 days. However, last night against Fulham, he did, when slicing an innocuous cross into his own net from six yards that put Liverpool at an early disadvantage. The Merseyside outfit did fight back to earn three points, but the inclusion of the Ivorian in their next match is unlikely to fill the club's supporters with any level of confidence.

Goal of the week

Daniel Sturridge (Fulham vs. Liverpool) Liverpool's opening goal against Fulham was a thing of beauty. After slipping in the middle of the park, Steven Gerrard got to his feet to deliver an immaculate pass using the outside of his boot that cut open the Fulham defence and released Daniel Sturridge. The striker then made no mistake with the opportunity, striking the ball off the inside of the post, to leave everyone appreciative of a world-class goal.

ID:137486: cacheID:137486:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:8099:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Eden Hazard of Chelsea celebrates scoring during the Barclays Premier League match between Cheslea and Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge on February 8, 2014
Read Next:
Premier League Team of the Week
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1210112481631
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
10Fulham125341717018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd124441313016
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Ipswich TownIpswich121651323-109
19Crystal Palace121561017-78
20Southampton121110924-154


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!