The Premier League was well and truly back with a bang at the weekend after the final international break of the season and a round of FA games, with the ten games reaping 32 goals in an action-packed couple of days.
The title race was dealt another twist as Manchester City and Arsenal played out a 0-0 draw, losing ground to new league leaders Liverpool, who came from behind to beat Brighton 2-1.
Elsewhere, the race for the Champions League places continued with both Tottenham and Aston Villa winning – though Manchester United dropped more points – and Newcastle beat West Ham in a thriller to close the gap to the Champions League spots.
At the other end of the table, Everton and Luton both lost, while Sheffield United and Burnley kept their faint survival hopes alive with draws, a result also achieved by Nottingham Forest against Crystal Palace.
But which players stood out in the melee? And who rises to the top of the POWER RANKINGS, and who drops out?
10. Ben Brereton Diaz (new entry)
Sheffield United have had one of the worst Premier League seasons of all time, but January signing Ben Brereton Diaz has been a shining light and is surely the front-runner for the Blades’ Player of the Season awards.
The Chile forward has netted four goals and picked up one assist in seven games since his move to the club, and was central of all his side did in their 3-3 draw with Fulham.
Although United as a whole will be disappointed not to have won the game having led 3-1 – at one point 4-1 until VAR cost them a three-goal lead – but Diaz did all he could to try and make sure his side picked up three points.
There were two goals and an assist for the forward at the weekend, and he won’t be short of Premier League offers when the summer transfer window comes around.
Ben Brereton Diaz has been a shining light in hat has been a dismal season for Sheffield United
9. William Saliba (new entry)
Though his France status remains a curious case, William Saliba is one of title-chasing Arsenal’s main men and proved that again against Manchester City on Sunday.
Awarded Player of the Match by Gary Neville on Sky Sports, the centre back defended brilliantly in what was an impressive off-the-ball display from the best defensive side in the league.
Erling Haaland barely had a sniff, and Saliba has become the Rolls Royce Arsenal had hoped he would become when they signed him for £25million four years ago.
Key to Arsenal’s title hopes and key to the Gunners’ result on Sunday, despite the negative reviews of the match itself.
William Saliba proved his class again as he helped Arsenal to a clean sheet against Man City
8. Moussa Diaby (up one)
It’s been a bit of an up and down season for Moussa Diaby, and it’s potentially currently the highest it has been after the forward played a key role in his side’s win over Wolves.
In what could have been an awkward game – especially after top scorer Ollie Watkins went off injured at half time – Diaby took centre stage, picking up a goal and assist for Unai Emery’s side.
Without club captain John McGinn present either, it was up to Villa’s No 19 to pull his team through and he did just that, pulling a thrilling finish out of the bag for the opener before technically setting up Ezri Konsa for his goal too.
A really good run of form from the Frenchman, and what a time for it to come as they try and fend off Tottenham in the race for a top four finish.
Moussa Diaby stepped up for Aston Villa in the absences of John McGinn and Ollie Watkins
7. Son Heung-min (new entry)
Many argued Son Heung-min had quite a quiet game against Luton at the weekend, but the Tottenham captain still managed to come up with the goods late on to earn his side a vital three points.
It has once again been a fantastic season for the forward, who has stepped up since Harry Kane left the club in the summer, being shipped out wide, then through the middle, and a bit of back and forth.
He was unlucky not to have scored earlier when an effort his one post and rolled across the line before coming off the other, and got his rewards for his efforts late on to end a stubborn Luton defence.
Not his best showing, but still good enough to enter our list.
Son Heung-min dragged his Tottenham side to a hard-fought victory with a late goal against Luton
6. Ezri Konsa (new entry)
It’s been the fortnight of Ezri Konsa’s life having made his England debut and put his hand firmly up for spot in the squad for the European Championships, and that continued against Wolves.
A clean sheet in what has become a rarity for any Premier League side not named Arsenal was a great start, but scoring an admittedly unlucky goal put the icing on the cake for the 26-year-old.
Konsa has become a reliable man in Emery’s system, featuring essentially out-of-position at right back but looking like he’s played there his entire life.
His 94 per cent pass accuracy points to a thumbs up in terms of what is being asked of him as a defensive full back, and there surely would have been a few laughs in the dressing room around his fluke of a goal that was a more-than-welcome bonus.
Ezri Konsa has had an enjoyable few weeks with both England and Aston Villa
Keeping a clean sheet, he also scored an unlikely goal against Wolves with an attempted cross
5. Alexander Isak (new entry)
When the chaos of Newcastle’s staggering win over West Ham died down, Alexander Isak received his flowers after yet another fantastic performance.
He is starting to put any concerns over his fitness behind him, carrying the Newcastle attack as players continue to fall around him, including fellow striker Callum Wilson.
Of interest to Arsenal, Isak has now scored 18 goals this season and few would bet against him going well past 20 given the good-looking nature of Newcastle’s run in.
Two fantastic penalties, three big points and one man owed a massive thank you.
Alexander Isak continued his impressive season with two penalty goals against West Ham
4. Cole Palmer (new entry)
Where on earth would Chelsea be without Cole Palmer? The youngster is undoubtedly in the running for Player of the Season in the whole Premier League and his side are 11th.
The fact Palmer didn’t get on the pitch for England over the international break remains a curiosity few can explain because he is undoubtedly one of the best talents eligible to pull on a Three Lions shirt.
Similarly, a question of how Chelsea failed to beat a Burnley side who are destined for the Championship and played with 10 men and no manager for 50 minutes is one few can answer.
But Palmer continues to do his job, oozing confidence to score the penalty before netting a second to take his total for the season to 16 to go with his 12 assists. £42.5million seems an absolute bargain.
Cole Palmer scored twice more and impressed despite his Chelsea team struggling once again
3. Mohamed Salah (new entry)
A fit Mohamed Salah is a real danger to the rest of the league. Liverpool have managed to maintain their title chase in his absence, and, with the Reds now top of the table and the new favourites to lift the trophy come May, one can forgive supporters for starting to dream.
It was his snapshot goal that earned his side a hard-fought three points against Brighton, and his 12 shots in the game will leave fans and fantasy football managers alike licking their lips.
The Egyptian logged an xG of 1.50 on his own, peppering the away goal throughout. Up next? Sheffield United at home.
Mohamed Salah returned to the goals against Brighton for new title favourites Liverpool
2. Rodrigo Muniz (down one)
Rodrigo Muniz dropping a place in our Power Rankings is no slight on the forward, only a praise on the man who makes No1.
It felt for weeks that it would be a matter of time until Armando Broja or Raul Jimenez caused Muniz – who started the season way down the pecking order – to be dropped but he has continued to tick over and is now undroppable.
It’s now eight goals in his last eight Premier League games and this may have been the best of the bunch, with a last-minute scissor kick saving his side the dreaded humiliation of losing to Sheffield United.
There was no fuss after the goal, either. No admiration of his efforts, just a focus on getting the ball and pushing for a winner.
Rodrigo Muniz continued his scoring run with a sensational late equaliser for Fulham
The forward has been in blistering form scoring eight goals in his last eight games
Harvey Barnes, however, tops this week’s Power Rankings after his late brace for Newcastle
1. Harvey Barnes (new entry)
A man who perhaps would have been one of the furthest away from topping the list this week is Harvey Barnes, but that is what he has done.
It’s been a far from easy season for Barnes following his move from Leicester, with the forward spending four months on the sidelines with a foot issue. Now, however, he is fit, and the Magpies likely could not be happier.
Eddie Howe praised his goal scoring abilities after the game and he showed that to help his side earn a win over West Ham, adding onto Isak’s goals to cause absolute pandemonium inside St James’ Park at around lunchtime on Saturday.
If his first was good, stepping inside Kalvin Phillips to curl the winner past Lukasz Fabianski was better. With Anthony Gordon now suspended too, what a time to announce yourself as a Magpies player.
