Following another hectic weekend of Premier League action, Sports Mole picks out the 11 most impressive performers from across the division who make up our Team of the Week.
Adrian (West Ham United)
The Spaniard is fast making a name for himself as being the top flight's penalty-saving specialist. Charlie Austin's spot kick may have lacked any real precision, but credit must go to Adrian for reading the situation well and keeping the ball out right down the middle. That made it three saves in a row from the spot, a record matched by nine other Premier League keepers in the past, while also helping his side on their way to an eighth clean sheet of the season.
Aleksandar Kolarov (Manchester City)
Defensively speaking, the full-back looked shaky for large parts of his side's slender victory against Aston Villa, giving the ball away needlessly on a few occasions. Kolarov did show that he can more than hold his own in attack, though, scoring from a well-executed free kick to go alongside the assist - his third of the season - that he had already bagged. Eight of his City strikes have come via free kicks, while he has now also pulled off an assist-and-goal double on three occasions for the club.
John Stones (Everton)
He may only be 20 years of age, but the no-nonsense defender has already run out 50 times for Everton while also representing his country a handful of times. On the day that the Englishman celebrated the milestone appearance at Goodison Park, it is somewhat fitting that he scored in the 3-0 rout of Manchester United. It marked Everton's biggest win over the Red Devils since 1992 - some two years before Stones was even born. Not so much one for the future anymore, but one for the here and now.
John Terry (Chelsea)
It was clear to see just how much Sunday evening's stalemate against Arsenal meant to the Chelsea squad, with Terry the man to lead the celebrations on the Emirates Stadium turf. It may have been a tedious affair, but it is a result which very much suits the Blues in their pursuit of the league title. Once again, it was the Chelsea skipper who provided some inspiration from the back by producing a superb defensive performance, which Jose Mourinho later described as the "best" that he had witnessed.
Leighton Baines (Everton)
A clean sheet, another assist to your name, three points in the bag - job done. It is difficult to pick out a better all-round full-back than the England international over the past five years or so in the Premier League, with Sunday's win over United seeing him extend his lead at the top of the assists chart, having now directly set up 46 goals for his teammates. It has been a frustrating campaign for Everton on the whole, although they have slowly turned things around with this their 10th shutout of the campaign.
Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea City)
The Icelandic international's switch back to Swansea following a flat spell at Tottenham Hotspur is fast turning into one of the transfers of the season. His goal against Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon was brilliantly taken, as he latched on to a through-ball and slotted the ball beyond Tim Krul into the corner of the net. It is his assists which truly mark him out as one of the division's best attacking threats, however, with a 10th of the season in that department on the weekend taking him within six of Cesc Fabregas at the top of the charts.
James McCarthy (Everton)
McCarthy is not a player known for his ability in advanced positions, bundling home just his third goal in 72 Everton appearances in the comfortable win over Louis van Gaal's side, while also helping to form a solid wall in front of the back four. The 24-year-old produced three successful tackles, blocked three shots in and around the 18-yard box, intercepted the ball on one occasion in a dangerous area, while also venturing forward in advance of midfielder partner Gareth Barry to help the Toffees out in attack.
Esteban Cambiasso (Leicester City)
The experienced midfielder simply oozes quality in his deep-lying position and, while he may not often catch the eye all that much away from the King Power Stadium, his performances this season have won him a place in Leicester folklore. He produced a number of top-class passes, one of which would have provided the assist of the season had Jamie Vardy latched on to it, while he also helped his side remain compact at the back. The Foxes' turnaround in fortunes is down to a number of various aspects, but getting the best out of Cambiasso has certainly played a part in the resurgence.
Charlie Adam (Stoke City)
A wonder strike against Chelsea a few weeks back has seemingly kick-started Adam's season in front of goal, having now scored three in his last four following a run of none in his previous 14 outings. Of course, there is more to the former Liverpool midfielder's game than simply finding the net, but when he finds his range it certainly adds a different type of threat to this Stoke outfit who are plodding along nicely in the league table.
Graziano Pelle (Southampton)
The Italian forward now has three goals in his last three Premier League outings, which suggests that he is on his way to putting a recent barren run of form behind him. Pelle made a fine start to life on these shores, but he found the net just twice across a 23-game spell between late December and April. Having secured a double against Tottenham on Saturday, Pelle now finds himself behind only Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero (4) when it comes to scoring braces this season.
Dame N'Doye (Hull City)
The January signing of N'Doye is proving to be an inspired piece of business by Hull boss Steve Bruce, after the Senegalese - who took a pay cut to join the Tigers - added two more crucial goals to his personal tally. That made it five for the club since making his debut in mid-February, and each of those goals have proved important some way or another. He was guilty of missing a couple of decent chances elsewhere, yet if he can continue this goalscoring rate then City should have enough in them to avoid the drop.
Numpty of the week:
Matty Taylor (Burnley): The former Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers and West Ham midfielder has a knack of scoring important penalties, but there is no denying that his miss from 12 yards out proved to be the decisive moment in the weekend's big game at the bottom of the table.
Just 60 seconds after Taylor had struck the post with his effort, Leicester were up the other end and bundling the ball home thanks to the quick thinking of Vardy. It was a minute which could very well play a big part in the fortunes of who stays up and who goes down this season, in a league of very fine margins indeed.
Goal of the week:
Charlie Adam (Stoke): His ferocious bullet strike beyond Costel Pantilimon may not have bettered the one witnessed at Stamford Bridge earlier this month, but the Scottish midfielder certainly has another gem to add to a growing collection. Mark Hughes suggested after the game that an improved fitness regime for Adam is starting to pay dividends, and on recent form there is no arguing with the Stoke manager's claims.
