With FA Cup semi-final places at stake, only 14 teams took to the field for Premier League action this weekend, but goals were aplenty up and down the country.
Arsenal's lead at the top of the table now stands at eight points courtesy of a 4-1 thrashing of managerless Crystal Palace, while Tottenham Hotspur's players were the victims of a brutal post-match assessment from Antonio Conte in the wake of a 3-3 draw with basement side Southampton.
Tottenham remain in the fourth and final Champions League spot despite throwing away a two-goal lead, but Newcastle United are closing in, having seen off Nottingham Forest 2-1 on Friday night.
Brentford took a step towards a possible European place in a 1-1 draw with Leicester City, while Chelsea remain smack-bang in the middle of the table, having been pegged back twice in a 2-2 stalemate with Everton.
Finally, Aston Villa continued their perfect scoring streak under Unai Emery with a straightforward 3-0 success over Bournemouth, and Leeds United came out on top 4-2 in a thrilling basement battle with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Here, Sports Mole selects its Team of the Week for the latest round of Premier League fixtures.
DEFENCE
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Despite conceding two goals at Molineux - one of which was his own making as his clearance landed at the feet of Jonny - Leeds number one Illan Meslier could pat himself on the back for an otherwise standout display, making six saves and three high claims to earn himself a few more admirers.
Few Tottenham players could leave the St Mary's turf with their heads held high on Saturday, but Pedro Porro was a rare exception, as the Spanish right-back rifled home his first Tottenham goal off the crossbar to open the scoring and also created three chances for his teammates in another promising display.
Paying homage to Robbie Keane - albeit without a perfect 10 for the acrobatic celebration - Leeds United's Luke Ayling had the spooky statistic of the day at Molineux, scoring away to Wolves on March 18, 2023 exactly one year on from his last Premier League goal, away to Wolves on March 18, 2022. The defender was allowed time and space to head home at the back stick, and he also completed two successful dribbles, six clearances and four tackles in an inspired display.
Winning aerial duels is much easier when you are 6ft 6in tall, but Leicester's Harry Souttar did not let his height do all the talking against Brentford. While challenging for six headers and winning all six, the Australia international also made eight clearances and won four of his five ground duels to keep the Bees' frontline relatively quiet - no mean feat indeed.
Finally, Villa's starboy Jacob Ramsey may have earned most of the plaudits for his effervescent showing against Bournemouth, but credit must also go to Tyrone Mings, who claimed an assist when flicking on a corner for Emiliano Buendia to score and made a crucial intervention to prevent Dominic Solanke potentially giving Bournemouth a route back into the game.
MIDFIELD
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Facing his best friend and former next door neighbour from the penalty spot did not phase James Ward-Prowse, whose late equaliser against Tottenham sparked one of the most astonishing post-game press conferences from a seething Conte. The Saints captain - who had already missed two spot kicks this season - scored the game's sixth and final goal into the top corner past Fraser Forster, and he also played a key role in Theo Walcott's goal to initially give Southampton hope.
Goalscoring midfielders were the theme across this weekend's action, and it was no different at Villa Park, where Douglas Luiz calmly tapped home the opening goal and remarkably completed all five of his dribble attempts - also enabling him to create three chances in a stellar engine room display.
Ellis Simms's first goal for Everton against Chelsea was rightfully lauded, but it would not have been possible without the efforts of a lively Abdoulaye Doucoure, whose header just trickled over the line before his smart first-time pass sent Simms on his way to equalise at Stamford Bridge, piling fresh pressure on the shoulders of Graham Potter and boosting his side's survival bid in the process.
ATTACK
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Becoming the first player in the current Premier League season to hit double figures for goals and assists, Bukayo Saka was at his scintillating best against Palace. After picking out Gabriel Martinelli to draw first blood, Saka calmly slotted home into the bottom corner before a sharp first-time strike ended any faint Palace hopes of a comeback, allowing the Gunners to enter the international period with an eight-point cushion to their name.
While one current Arsenal attacker stole the show at the Emirates, Theo Walcott delighted Gooners by rolling back the years against Tottenham. Still a menace at 34, the ex-Gunner burst away down the right to set up Che Adams's equaliser, and he was subsequently given acres of space in the box to volley in Southampton's second - his first Premier League goal since May 2021 as he continues to haunt the Lilywhites.
Injuries and the form of Callum Wilson have hampered Alexander Isak in his debut season with Newcastle, but the towering Swede sparked pandemonium in the away end versus Nottingham Forest. Firstly improvising with a volley off his shin to cancel out Emmanuel Dennis's opener, Isak kept his cool from the penalty spot in the dying embers to complete the Magpies' turnaround and leave their Champions League destiny in their own hands.
SPORTS MOLE'S PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM OF THE WEEK
Sports Mole's Premier League Team of the Week (4-3-3): Meslier; Porro, Mings, Souttar, Ayling; Ward-Prowse, Luiz, Doucoure; Saka, Isak, Walcott
Ben Knapton
