EPL Hot 11: Ba, Aguero Put Up Doubles, United Well Represented in Match Day 17

Demba Ba and Sergio Aguero each scored doubles in winning efforts for their clubs during the week.

Manchester United powered to a 5-0 win, as four players made the Premier League Hot 11, two of which retain high positions atop the rankings.

Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor recorded key goals to maintain their form, as did Daniel Sturridge.

Every week, 11 footballers in the Premier League will make up the EPL Hot 11, a fluctuating power ranking that highlights the top performers over the course of the entire season. Dependent on their match-day performances, players may move up or down the list each week.

Demba Ba

Demba Ba dove into his usual bag of tricks for a double in a 2-3 loss to West Brom Wednesday.

The Frenchman equalized with a stunning free kick goal in the 34th minute, beating the keeper to his left with a powerful, curling effort.

Ba would bring the game level again in the 81st minute, connecting with Hatem Ben Arfa for an equally impressive strike from just inside the top of the box.

With five goals in as many games, Ba is tied for second with 13 goals in the Premier League.

Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney has turned the switch back on.

After beginning the season with nine goals in five games, the striker went cold going scoreless in his next eight league appearances.

But with a late goal in the club's 5-0 win over Fulham, Rooney looks to be back in top scoring form.

His 88th minute goal, a cracking strike from beyond 30 yards, gives Rooney 13 goals on the season and four in his last three games.

Sergio Aguero

Sergio Aguero certainly has lived up to his hefty price tag as one of Manchester City's top producers, and with a double in a 3-0 win over Stoke City, the shifty Argentine has made Carlos Tevez a forgotten man.

Aguero served as a clean-up man in the 29th minute. After David Silva slickly found Yaya Toure in the box, the lanky Ivorian put in a ball across the face of the goal before Aguero tapped it in at the far post.

City would secure the three points in the 54th minute after Samir Nasri found Aguero across the box for an easy finish.

Aguero now has 13 goals in league play, good for a three-way tie for second behind the league leader Robin van Persie.

Antonio Valencia

Just as Wayne Rooney has gotten hot, so has Antonio Valencia.

The Ecuadorian mostly had been a bench player, but following his three-assist effort in a start against Wolves, Valencia has turned in five of those in three games, getting the first eleven nod in each.

Valencia hooked up with Dimitar Berbatov in the 90th minute to finish the game with bang. After Nani put Valencia into space, the 26-year-old gave it on to Berbatov whose clever back kick gave Fulham its worst defeat of the season.

Nani

A lax Fulham defense helped give Nani the initial assist in Manchester United's 5-0 win at Craven Cottage Wednesday.

Over Nani's last four league appearances, the Portuguese playmaker has put up three goals and four assists, a span over which United has outscored its opposition 12-4.

An easy dish to Danny Welbeck scored Nani's first assist in the 5th minute. Nani then guided in a glancing header from a Ryan Giggs cross to make it 2-0 in the 28th minute.About 15 minutes later, too much room for Nani allowed him to find Giggs to return the favor for a three-goal advantage before the half.

With six goals and seven assists, Nani is on his way to setting career numbers in a season.

Robin van Persie

The Premier League's top scorer added another goal and an assist to his reputable scorecard this season, stamping his name into a couple of decisive goals in Arsenal's 2-1 win over Aston Villa Wednesday.

Robin van Persie scored the opening goal in the 17th minute from the spot after Theo Walcott drew a foul in the box. A clean, left-footed finish in the top right corner had the Gunners on the right track for their three points.

Villa would equalize just after the restart, but van Persie would provide the winning goal in the 87th minute finding Yossi Benayoun after a corner.

With 16 goals and five assists to his name this season, the Dutchman looks poised to run away with the Golden Boot.

Ryan Giggs

The ageless Ryan Giggs scored his first league goal of the season and also recorded two assists in a 5-0 romp over Fulham.

Giggs connected with Nani on two occasions, first as a provider in the 28th minute after a cross into the box. The two flipped the script just 15 minutes later as Nani was given far too much space before finding the 38-year-old, whose deflected shot dipped right over the outstretched keeper.

Making just his third start of the season, the long-time United player recorded at least a goal and an assist for the first time since a 5-0 finish against Birmingham in January.

Daniel Sturridge

Five goals and an assist in six games for Daniel Sturridge keeps him in the Hot 11 for the second straight week.

The budding striker scored the equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Tottenham Thursday as Sturridge continues to be Chelsea's most consistent option in the final third.

For the second straight week, Sturridge hooked up with Ashley Cole. This time, after a no call on a possible hand ball from Cole, the fullback delivered a gorgeous pass in between the Tottenham backline and the keeper before Sturridge struck a goal at the back post.

Sturridge has recorded a goal or an assist in six straight league appearances.

Emmanuel Adebayor

Emmanuel Adebayor maintained his good scoring form by scoring a critical goal for Tottenham in a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at White Hart Lane.

The on-loan Manchester City striker has scored six goals in as many games for Spurs during a stretch of four wins in six.

Tottenham got on the scoreboard quickly in the 8th minute after the quick-footed Gareth Bale sped past the Chelsea defense to deliver a delicious ball right in front of Petr Cech. Adebayor went to ground for a simple deflection into the net.

The Togolese striker has a long way to go to match his career-best 24 league goals set with Arsenal, but his nine scores almost halfway through the season has to have Harry Redknapp full with holiday cheer.

Gareth Bale

It took some time for Gareth Bale to get going, but you know that the transfer rumors are just around the corner.

With four goals and five assists in his last seven games, Bale's increased form has been integral in Tottenham's winning form.

The speedy playmaker picked up the lone assist in a 1-1 draw against Chelsea, accelerating past the Blues defenders before laying a great ball in front of Emmanuel Adebayor who could not miss.

Bale's influence on the left side of the field will be critical for Spurs' second half of the season as they look to reclaim a spot in the Champions League.

Peter Odemwingie

Peter Odemwingie may be heating up, and it comes at a welcome time as West Brom look to keep a place in the top 10 in the table.

With an impact in the first and last goal in a 3-2 win over Newcastle, Odemwingie put in a goal and an assist.

After taking a great through ball from Chris Brunt in the 20th minute, two touches and a clean finish with the left foot had Odemwingie his fourth goal of the season.

Then in the 85th minute, Odemwingie took a Shane Long cross and headed it back to Chris Brunt, who guided in the winning goal.