Ilkay Gundogan keeps up Manchester City’s title pursuit but who tops our POWER RANKINGS?
Each week throughout the 2020-21 season, Sportsmail brings you a Power Rankings table, listing the top-10 hottest players in the Premier League.
As the stories of the season unravel, the rankings will provide a form guide with players moving in and out of the top 10 depending on both their performances in the previous fixtures and also in recent weeks.
Following the mid-week drama it proved an incredibly competitive showing among the top 10, with the vast majority having an impact for their sides.
The headline result came at Old Trafford where Manchester United hammered Southampton 9-0, but there were also important victories for league leaders Manchester City, Champions League chasing Leicester City, West Ham and Chelsea.
Meanwhile, Brighton nearer the foot of the table stunned champions Liverpool at Anfield.
There were many excellent individual performances in the top-flight but which players from last week’s list will drop out and who will come out on top this time around?
10. James Maddison (NEW ENTRY)
Given the nature of how in form the majority of last week’s top 10 were, it marks just how impressive James Maddison has been in 2021 so far that he can displace Callum Wilson from the rankings despite the Newcastle striker grabbing an assist mid-week.
Since returning to the side on New Year’s Day, the midfielder has provided three goals and just as many assists including two in the mid-week 2-0 victory at Fulham.
As the Foxes continue their march towards the Champions League next season, it is crucial that their key midfielder retains his impressive form.
Leicester City’s James Maddison is the only new entry to this week’s power rankings
9. Eberechi Eze (DOWN ONE)
You know it’s a competitive week in the rankings when you provide the assist for a winning goal yet still end up tumbling down the order.
That’s of no disservice to Eze though who continues to show why he is one of the signings of the season after his corner allowed Gary Cahill to head home for Palace in their 2-1 victory at Newcastle United.
Roy Hodgson will continue to be delighted with the forward who has started to look even more threatening playing in an advanced central role behind the attack.
Despite a minor drop, Eberechi Eze continues to show his importance to Crystal Palace
8. Patrick Bamford (DOWN TWO)
A drop down the rankings this week for the Leeds’ hitman following their 2-1 home defeat by Everton despite helping his side pull a goal back by laying off an assist for Raphinha.
The striker though also had a late chance to level the scores only to see his looping header clear the crossbar on a frustrating night for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
It was otherwise a poor game for the striker who will likely need to improve to keep his place among the top 10 following the next round of matches.
Patrick Bamford provided an assist for Leeds but could not prevent their defeat by Everton
7. Tomas Soucek (UP TWO)
A good spell of form looked like it was starting to run out of petrol when the midfielder had a poor game in the recent 3-1 defeat by Liverpool at the London Stadium.
Yet the battling Czech star has shown it was only a minor blip as he once again starred in West Ham’s surprise top-four push following their 3-1 win at Aston Villa.
Despite being a defensive midfielder, he has added goals to his game in recent weeks and was on target again midweek. In fact when penalties are taken out of the equation, no midfielder in the division has more than his eight strikes.
Midfielder Tomas Soucek has added goals to his game in recent weeks for West Ham United
6. Jack Grealish (DOWN TWO)
In contrast to Soucek, Grealish did not have a great night at Villa Park despite playing an excellent pass for Ollie Watkins to grab a late consolation for Dean Smith’s side.
Grealish’s playmaking abilities were largely stifled by Hammers right-back Vladimir Coufal as the home side were well beaten by Moyes’ high flyers.
Although it’s a slip down the order, his recent form suggest he could easily bounce back when Villa host Arsenal next.
Jack Grealish endured an off night for Aston Villa against West Ham despite his assist
5. Mohamed Salah (DOWN FOUR)
Normal service was thought to have resumed when Salah starred to help Liverpool shoot down in form West Ham.
But the Egyptian was unusually wasteful in front of goal in the shock 1-0 defeat by Brighton, firing wide with Liverpool’s best chance while also seeing an early effort clear the crossbar.
As a result he takes a sharp drop in the rankings and will need to impress in the crucial test against Manchester City next to arrest his tumble down the order and try and reclaim top spot.
Mohamed Salah missed two good chances to score as Liverpool suffered a shock home defeat
4. Bukayo Saka (DOWN TWO)
Arsenal were boosted by the return of Saka from injury for the clash at Wolves and he was instantly a threat when hitting the post inside the first minute.
The wideman then saw a goal ruled out following an offside infringement from team-mate Alexandre Lacazette.
But despite Arsenal’s early dominance two red cards later on in the game naturally clipped the wings of his attacking threat as his side went down 2-1. As a result he drops out of the top three.
Bukayo Saka started brightly for Arsenal but two red cards for his side limited his attacks
3. Bruno Fernandes (UP FOUR)
A dry(ish) January has soon been put behind Fernandes who after a very quiet display at Arsenal was quite the opposite in the 9-0 demolition of Southampton.
Although his penalty scored and two assists came at a time in the game when the Saints were just looking at preventing a humiliation, it still marks a welcome return to form.
Only Mohamed Salah has more than his 15 Premier League goals, while he is just two behind leading assist maker Harry Kane.
After a quiet January, Bruno Fernandes is back among the goals and assists for Man Utd
2. John Stones (UP THREE)
Surprisingly dropped out the side last weekend but Stones was recalled for the victory over Burnley and he picked up from where he left off in his last appearance.
That of course means the now routine clean sheet as Manchester City marched towards a ninth consecutive Premier League victory with a 2-0 win over Burnley.
Stones has been involved in eight of these where City have conceded just one goal as they continue their relentless march at the top of the standings.
John Stones has now featured in eight of Manchester City’s nine straight Premier League wins
1. Ilkay Gundogan (UP TWO)
While it is impossible for a Kevin de Bruyne injury to come at a good time from a Manchester City perspective, they do have the fortune that in in his absence Ilkay Gundogan has emerged as one of the standout midfielders for Pep Guardiola’s side.
The midfielder has been in sensational form since mid-December, scoring seven goals in that period while also now adding assists to his game after teeing up Raheem Sterling to score at Turf Moor.
The German is in the best form at the club since joining from Borussia Dortmund for £25million five years ago and as a result he powers to the top of the rankings.
City’s Ilkay Gundogan has risen rapidly up the rankings recently and now takes top spot
