5 Things We Learned from Premier League Week 27: Top Teams on a Roll
There was plenty to learn from a typically thrilling weekend of Premier League action that saw most of the big guns register wins.
All of the top four sides claimed three points, while Tottenham's loss to Norwich City allowed Manchester United to close to within five points of fifth.
Liverpool and Chelsea both left it late to snatch the points, but Arsenal romped to victory over Sunderland with some impressive attacking football.
Here are five things we learned from the round.
John Terry Still Has Plenty of Puff
1 of 5
New life has been breathed into John Terry's career after things appeared to be winding down before Jose Mourinho's return to Chelsea.
The club captain has once again become a key member of the side and an influential presence at the back.
He also showed against Everton that, at 33, he still has plenty of gas left in the tank.
Terry busted his lungs for the entire 90 minutes, then still had enough in reserve to nail the winner deep into injury time.
The goal kept Chelsea top of the table and proved that JT is still a force to be reckoned with.
Sturridge's Form Is Good Enough for the History Books
2 of 5
We all knew that Daniel Sturridge was on a hot streak, but now the history books reflect just how dominant he has been in recent weeks.
The 24-year-old's two strikes in Liverpool's thrilling 4-3 win over Swansea at Anfield took his tally to 27 goals in as many games.
It also meant Sturridge became just the second player in Premier League history to score in eight or more consecutive games.
The only man to have achieved the feat before was the great Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who did it twice.
Should the Liverpool star's sensational form continue, the club's chances of remaining near the top of the table will remain very good.
Arsenal Are Far from Finished in the Title Race
3 of 5
After suffering a buzz-killing loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League during the week, Arsenal dusted themselves off and reminded everybody why they remain well and truly in the title race by thumping Sunderland 4-1 at the Emirates.
There was much lament coming out of the Arsenal camp following the Bayern defeat, with Mesut Ozil in particular coming under heavy criticism.
Against cellar dwellers Sunderland, however, the side appeared galvanized and turned on a delightfully attacking display to dispatch their opponents with style and stay in second place on the ladder, just a point behind Chelsea.ย ย
It is easy to forget just how well the Gunners have played for much of the season, and sometimes a loss against top-class opposition can be blown out of proportion.ย
West Ham Are on Fire
4 of 5
There's only one team who are arguably in as-good, if-not-better form at the moment than Liverpool, and that is West Ham United.ย
With their 3-1 defeat of Southampton on the weekend, the Hammers completed their fourth straight victory and fifth match without a loss.ย
An away trip to Everton next round, however, should prove a genuine test for Sam Allardyce's men.
If they can earn maximum points in that daunting encounter, West Ham will have some genuine momentum behind them heading into the last phase of the season.
Wayne Rooney Is Happy
5 of 5
There was much discussion of Wayne Rooney's massive contract extension with Manchester United this week, but when it came down to the business of actually playing football, the 28-year-old England star showed why the club was prepared to fork out so much cash to keep him happy.
The forward's new deal will, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, keep him at the club until June, 2019 and see him earnย ยฃ300,000 per week during that period.
With his long-term future secured, Rooney contributed to a much-needed United win over Crystal Palace with a delightful goal on the half-volley.
There are few players in the world who could have scored a goal that required such flawless technique, and it could be considered Rooney's first gesture of thanks to the club and its fans for their generosity toward him.
