Manchester City netted five goals against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday evening to move to the top of the Premier League table.

Manuel Pellegrini's side took advantage of Chelsea drawing with West Ham United and Arsenal being held by Southampton to move into pole position in their attempts to win their second Premier League title.

Liverpool produced a clinical display to defeat Merseyside rivals Everton, while Juan Mata made his Manchester United debut in their 2-0 win over Cardiff City at Old Trafford.

At the bottom of the standings, Swansea City, Crystal Palace and Sunderland all recorded important victories to leave West Ham, Fulham and Cardiff struggling in the relegation zone.

Below, Sports Mole selects a team of players that have impressed us over the past two evenings.

Adrian (West Ham United)
Chelsea registered 38 shots on goal against West Ham on Wednesday night, but they couldn't find their way past the Spanish stopper, who made late stops from Eden Hazard and Frank Lampard to earn a point for the Hammers.

Joel Ward (Crystal Palace)
The Palace right-back has been a consistent performer for the Eagles this season, and that continued with an efficient display against Hull City as his side moved up to 14th position.
Chico Flores (Swansea City)
Chico Flores has been in the headlines for the wrong reasons in recent weeks, but his second-half header helped seal a crucial 2-0 win for his side over Fulham.
James Collins (West Ham United)
West Ham missed the influence of Collins over the Christmas period, but his return to the side proved pivotal as the Hammers held Chelsea to a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge.
Luke Shaw (Southampton)
The 18-year-old added to his growing reputation by delivering an impressive display against Arsenal on Tuesday evening, and this performance will only increase the possibility of Chelsea and Manchester United making bids for his signature in the summer.

Ashley Young (Manchester United)
The winger's first-team place at Old Trafford could be in jeopardy after the signing of Mata, but the England international responded in the best possible way by netting a 25-yard effort in the second half of United's win over Cardiff.
Jonjo Shelvey (Swansea City)
Shelvey scored a somewhat fortuitous goal to open the scoring against Fulham, but his drive from midfield helped the Swans keep the Cottagers on the back foot at the Liberty Stadium.
Fabian Delph (Aston Villa)
The Aston Villa midfielder was touted for a possible England inclusion earlier in the campaign, and he further staked his claim with an industrious display against West Bromwich Albion that was capped with a excellent first-half strike.
David Silva (Manchester City)
City's front three have received much of the credit for the club's dominance in attack this season, but Silva's creativity was key against Tottenham Hotspur as he helped move his team to the top of the table.

Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool)
Sturridge has played second fiddle to the brilliance of Luis Suarez for the first half of the campaign, but his two composed finishes against Everton helped his team on their way to a comprehensive victory.
Christian Benteke (Aston Villa)
The Belgium international has struggled for form since September, but the composure that he displayed when netting Villa's winning goal from the penalty spot hinted that he was ready to make a positive impact during the second half of the season.

Numpty of the week

Jose Mourinho: While a couple of players may have been in the running for this award, it surely has to go to Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho. After his team were held to a goalless draw by West Ham, the Portuguese coach was quick to criticise Sam Allardyce's tactics at Stamford Bridge, accusing his team of defending with 10 men behind the ball for the entire 90 minutes. Mourinho has obviously forgotten that his side were involved in two drab contests away at Manchester United and Arsenal earlier this campaign as he aimed to avoid defeat, rather than attempt to gain three points.

Goal of the week

Ashley Young (Manchester United vs. Cardiff City) Ashley Young hasn't earned many plaudits this season, but he deserves credit for his impact at Old Trafford on Tuesday night. With United a goal to the good, the winger cut inside from the left before firing an explosive shot into the bottom corner from almost 25 yards.