Premier League Team of Week: Coutinho, Aguero, Alexis Sanchez & Benteke Star
Welcome to the 35th instalment of our Premier League Team of the Week for the 2014-15 season.
We analysed every game to pick out a star XI from the weekend's fixtures, choosing the best players to form a viable formation (in this case, a 4-4-2).
It's a very West Midlands-based selection after Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion mustered superb wins against superior opposition. Leicester City also feature two as they climb further away from the drop zone.
Disagree with our selections? Hit us up in the comments section below to start the conversation.
For a look at criteria for inclusion, please see our selections from early April.
GK: Boaz Myhill, West Bromwich Albion
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Despite a stunning performance from Joe Hart, who played an outstanding game against Tottenham Hotspur and landed in our B/R's winners section after the game, we select Boaz Myhill ahead of him for our Premier League Team of the Week.
The stand-in West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper had an even better day at Old Trafford on Saturday, as he stopped shot after shot as Manchester United peppered his goal.
Myhill ended up with a clean sheet and a 1-0 victory, and he even saved a penalty from Robin van Persie.
RB: Marc Albrighton, Leicester City
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For the third time in four weeks, Marc Albrighton makes our Premier League Team of the Week selection. What a force he has been during this run-in.
His two-assist performance helped Leicester City to a fantastic 3-0 win over Newcastle United this weekend, clipping in brilliant set-piece deliveries and, as ever, running hard with the ball and carrying it forward to spark attacks.
This wing-back position has really been a saviour, both for his season and the club's.
CB: Gareth McAuley, West Bromwich Albion
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Gareth McAuley came second only to Boaz Myhill in our impressions gleaned from the Old Trafford pitch on Sunday, with the Northern Irishman throwing himself in front of every ball necessary.
Jonas Olsson, his defensive partner, was credited with the heavily deflected goal that won West Bromwich Albion the game, but McAuley was the standout in the centre of the line.
His contract comes up at the end of the season...will Tony Pulis reconsider after this excellent showing?
CB: Jores Okore, Aston Villa
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Ron Vlaar had a game to forget, giving away a clumsy penalty, missing a sitter from four yards and generally conspiring, seemingly, to try to single-handedly lose Aston Villa the game against Everton on Saturday.
Luckily for Tim Sherwood, Jores Okore was there to clean most of the mess up. He flew forth with key headers and interceptions with regularity and wasn't afraid to stick to Romelu Lukaku high up because of the absurd recovery pace he boasts.
LB: Jeffrey Schlupp, Leicester City
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On the opposite flank, we have Marc Albrighton's colleague Jeffrey Schlupp. He recovered from injury to start against Newcastle United after missing the midweek game against Chelsea.
Powering forward from left-back he was again brilliant, sometimes running between 40 and 50 yards at a time with the ball at his feet to create chances and haul his side up the pitch.
Newcastle were dreadful and set up all wrong to deal with him, but he undoubtedly did the business and helped his side to a comprehensive victory.
CM: Fabian Delph, Aston Villa
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The best player on the Villa Park pitch on Saturday was Fabian Delph. He ran rings around Everton and stupefied James McCarthy for 90 straight minutes.
The referee probably should have given him more protection—he limped off temporarily clutching his knee after a third rugged challenge flew in on the dancing playmaker—but he shook off the attention and continued to dazzle.
He picked up an assist for the first goal and dominated play throughout.
CM: Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool
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Philippe Coutinho again shone as Liverpool beat Queens Park Rangers. This Is Anfield gave him their highest grade in their post-match player ratings.
"Coutinho was once again one of the Reds' standout performers, as he continues to show why he is now arguably his side's best player," wrote Henry Jackson. "The 22-year-old took his goal brilliantly, and he looked like hurting QPR whenever the ball was at his feet."
The goal mentioned was a beautiful curling effort that left Rob Green motionless as it bent around him. The Brazilian is adding goals to his game and becoming all the more fierce as a result.
Wing: Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal
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Alexis Sanchez finished as B/R's Mike Cummings' first and primary winner following Arsenal's 3-1 victory over Hull City on Monday night. "When Sanchez plays his best football, so do Arsenal," he wrote.
The Chilean scored two goals on the night—one via a chunk of fortune, but the other well taken and cleanly struck after rounding the goalkeeper—and utilised his remarkable energy stores to drive the Gunners forward.
Wing: Wilfried Zaha, Crystal Palace
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We had several options for the wing slot opposite Alexis Sanchez, with Erik Lamela (tenacity) and David Silva (creativity) both turning in strong showings. But Wilfried Zaha caught the eye early on Sunday and has a case for being the best player on the Stamford Bridge pitch during Chelsea's defeat of Crystal Palace.
He showed why Manchester United were perhaps foolish to cut ties with him so soon, with raw dribbling skills and the ability to beat a man one vs. one evident. As he twisted and turned, the Blues fumbled and fell over their own legs keeping up with him.
ST: Sergio Aguero, Manchester City
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As noted by B/R's Karl Matchett, Mauricio Pochettino split his Man of the Match award down the middle, awarding it to Sergio Aguero and Joe Hart.
It was the former who made perhaps the most obviously telling impact, scoring the only goal in a game that threatened more but somehow failed to muster them.
Aguero's brilliant strike after a good David Silva through ball was typical Kun: all power, direction and decisiveness, no faffing about. He rounded Hugo Lloris later only to miss from an angle on the stretch.
The Argentine has now moved two goals clear of Harry Kane in the Golden Boot stakes, bettering his tally 22 to 20 with three games to play.
ST: Christian Benteke, Aston Villa
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Just another monstrous performance from Aston Villa's Christian Benteke. It is again becoming an incredibly consistent factor for the Birmingham club to rely upon.
He scored two against Everton to bury them before half-time, heading home in superlative fashion early on and then following up a corner at the back post for a tap-in later on.
His all-round play was stellar as usual, linking attacks, bringing out the back-heels and showing supreme technical ability. Onto 12 goals for the campaign, which includes 10 in his last eight games.
