Steve Harper – The veteran goalkeeper was on top form as Hull reduced the pressure on them with a win away to Crystal Palace. Harper made some crucial stops, including an excellent one to deny in form Glenn Murray. He looked comfortable throughout as he organised his defence well and looked confident when aerial balls came into his area. The experience of Harper could be key in ensuring Hull remain in the top flight.
Hector Bellerin – The Arsenal full back is continuing to show his development this season as he put in a quality display against league leaders Chelsea. He was tracking the runners well and made some key interceptions, including a clearance off the line to deny Oscar. He also showed his pace and skill going forward as he caused Cesar Azpilicueta some problems down Chelsea’s left hand side.
John Terry – Chelsea are all but guaranteed to win the Premier League this season and they showed their defensive quality this week against an in form Arsenal side. The home side only managed one shot on target and a lot of that was due to the defensive work of Terry. He made a number of key tackles to break down attacks and he dominated aerially from set pieces, letting Olivier Giroud have very few chances to threaten.
Joleon Lescott – West Brom are nudging their way towards Premier League survival with Tony Pulis having done a wonderful job organising the defence since his appointment. They have kept 8 clean sheets since the managerial change and the experience of Joleon Lescott has played a huge role. The former England international was wonderful again on Saturday as he organised the defence well, and prevented Liverpool from having many chances in front of goal.
Aleksandar Kolarov – The left back has never fulfilled his potential at Manchester City and has struggled to get a regular place in the side ahead of Gael Clichy, which hasn’t helped his consistency. However, he was brilliant on Saturday as he showed some wonderful full back play to cause Aston Villa a lot of problems.
Morgan Schneiderlin – Southampton only managed to get a point against their former manager, but the side showed that they can dominate matches against the big sides. Morgan Schneiderlin was top class as he dictated the play with his wonderful passing range. He is an all action midfielder and he showed that with his interceptions, tackles, passing and creative play. The Frenchman is one of the best midfielders in the league at the moment and he could be on the move to a Champions League club in the summer.
James McCarthy – Everton finally showed their quality in a big game on Sunday as they destroyed a Manchester United side in very good form. James McCarthy scored the opening goal with a tidy finish after a good run from midfield to find space in the Manchester United box. His overall contribution couldn’t have been more as he worked hard all match, chasing opposition players, making crucial challenges and providing some real quality when on the ball.
Gylfi Sigurdsson – Swansea secured their highest points total in the Premier League with a victory over Newcastle on Saturday and their Icelandic playmaker was pivotal to their win. He scored and assisted a goal as he ran riot against a very nervous Newcastle defence. The quality that he has showed this season highlights his ability to go on and play Champions League football in the future. He has both creative and goalscoring abilities and has returned to the consistent form that he lacked at Tottenham.
Jamie Vardy – Leicester have given themselves a great chance of surviving in the top flight after a run of four victories on the bounce. Jamie Vardy was once again superb against Burnley and has been one of the standout performers in recent weeks. His hard working style of play means that he puts everything he has every week as he chases down lost causes and puts defenders under pressure. His pace and movement can make him difficult to defend against.
Graziano Pelle – Southampton have been wonderful to watch this season and Pelle has been one of the finds of the year. He has struggled in the second half of the season, but he returned to form against Spurs as he found the net on two occasions, showing some great centre forward play. His second goal was a powerful header, which showed the main strength of the Italian’s style of play.
Dame N’Doye – It is always a huge risk buying a striker in January from abroad and expecting an instant return. Hull needed that from Dame N’Doye as they have been in the relegation battle all season. He has scored five goals and his brace against Crystal Palace on Saturday showed his quality in front of goal. His movement and hold up play throughout was excellent and he could have scored more as he was a threat all day.