Premier League: Team of the Week XXI feat. Spurs and Everton stars

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Goalkeeper: Simon Mignolet (Liverpool)

What a contrast this performance was compared to some of his previous showings for the Reds. He did well to stop Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s free-kick but the pick of the bunch was his point-blank stop to thwart Henrikh Mkhitaryan when the Armenian looked in for a certain goal. To his credit, the Belgian has had a fight on his hands for the Number One jersey at Liverpool, and he looks to have re-established himself ahead of Loris Karius after a string of good performances that suggest he is back, and with a vengeance.

His decision-making looks a lot more assured, and he seems far less frantic with the ball in possession and is looking far more competent in commanding his box. He looked comfortable defending corner kicks at Old Trafford, punched away well when he needed to under pressure and he gave Dejan Lovren the confidence to put in a strong shift ahead of him. For all the critics of Liverpool’s defence this season, they fared superbly at the Theatre of Dreams.

Right-Back: Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur)

Similarly to Chelsea, Mauricio Pochettino’s introduction of a three-man defence has allowed Spurs’ wider players to thrive, and one of those enjoying his new found freedom and licence to break forward is Kyle Walker, whose five assists this season in the Premier League are now more than any other defender.

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It was hard to tell whether he was playing the wing-back role or as a conventional winger, given Walker’s hunger to involve himself in attack, and it is the freedom he has had to terrorise defences that has helped so much in this brilliant run of form the North Londoners are currently enjoying.

Centre-Back: Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham Hotspur)

A steady presence at the back as always, Alderweireld not only enjoyed the highest passing accuracy of the game against West Brom, completing 95.8%, but was an absolute rock as the hosts firmly slammed the breaks on a Baggies attack that has been free-scoring in recent weeks.

The visitors were below par, but allocated the task of keeping an eye on Matt Phillips and Salomon Rondon, a daunting task for any defender this season, he applied himself superbly in an all-round dominant Tottenham performance. His return from injury has been key, but Spurs fans will be hoping they aren’t losing another key figure at the back to injury after Jan Vertonghen was withdrawn after rolling his ankle.

Centre-Back: Dejan Lovren (Liverpool)

A cool head at the back is vital in huge games, and in Liverpool’s trip to Manchester United, Dejan Lovren provided that. His 55 completed passes were more than any other Liverpool player, and he held his own against the aerial bombardment of José Mourinho’s Red Devils, and was desperately unlucky not to end up on the winning side as United salvaged a late leveller.

By the time United employed the long ball tactic, they were firmly out of ideas, but when their direct tactical switch meant it was all hands to the pump for Liverpool, Lovren’s leadership marshalled the back-line well and if they can maintain this consistency at the back, it will only help in their title push.

Left-Back: Marcos Alonso (Chelsea)

Alonso enjoyed quite the game at Leicester, as he became the third Chelsea defender to score a brace, taking a wonderful first goal on his right foot, and added a second on his opposite side.

He has been a player that has rapidly grown with game-time since the start of the season under Antonio Conte and this latest showing oozed class. By the end of it he was unlucky not to have had a hat-trick. It is a positive note to end a tough week at Chelsea themselves after the recent frenzy caused by Diego Costa, but the players on the pitch all rallied and played their part at the King Power, and they more than avenged their dismal showing on this ground last season.