Suarez, Sterling, Rooney and Lallana in team of the week| News |

(Image credit: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

published 31 March 2014

LIVERPOOL were the big winners this weekend and are now sitting pretty on top of the Premier League with just six games to play and their fate in their own hands. Their impressive victory over Spurs on Sunday came after Chelsea slipped up at Crystal Palace and Man City were held by Arsenal. Those results certainly changed the complexion of the title race, but who were the players who made a difference this weekend? Here's our pick of the weekend's picks. Goalkeeper:Julian Speroni (Crystal Palace). The Palace keeper was instrumental in their shock win over Chelsea on Saturday. "Speroni's first-half save from Eden Hazard kept his side in the game and his second-half stop from the same player might prove to be the defining moment for Pulis and his boys," says Garth Crooks of the BBC. Defence: Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Steven Caulker (Cardiff), John Stones (Everton), Joel Ward (Crystal Palace). Johnson got the ball rolling for Liverpool on Sunday as he forced an own goal from Younes Kaboul. It was "a strong game from the England international, whose form is picking up at just the right time", says Bleacher Report. The most dramatic game of the weekend was Cardiff's 3-3 draw with West Brom, which featured two goals in injury time. Cardiff defender Caulker scored one of his side's three and was named man of the match in The Guardian. Everton youngster Stones continues to impress and he played "excellently" at Craven Cottage according to Fanatix. The final spot goes to versatile Palace defender Ward who "played on the left against Chelsea and bottled up Andre Schurrle with ease", according to Bleacher Report. Midfield: Jonathan De Guzman (Swansea), Adam Lallana, Jay Rodriguez (both Southampton), Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)A four man midfield with an attacking bent. First up is De Guzman of Swansea, who scored twice and has a "new lease of life" under Garry Monk. "Norwich simply could not live with the Dutchman's movement and finishing ability," says Crooks of the BBC. Lallana had a blinder as Southampton thrashed Newcastle. "A screamer and an assist was scant reward for a performance that wouldn't have been out of place in a Selecao [Brazil] shirt," says ESPN. Alongside him is team-mate Rodriguez who notched up 13 points on Fantasy Football thanks to two goals as he continued his "impressive" scoring run. Finally, young Liverpool midfielder Sterling had another impressive game. He adds a third 'S' to the Liverpool strikeforce of Suarez and Sturridge. "With Roy Hodgson’s assistant Ray Lewington in the stand, Sterling once again made a striking case that he has to go to the World Cup finals," says The Independent, which makes him man of the match. Attack: Wayne Rooney (Man Utd), Luis Suarez (Liverpool)Man United forward Rooney gets the nod up front. He scored twice against West Ham and was the Daily Mail man of the match. "Through all the tribulations of United’s wretched season, Rooney has been a constantly challenging presence," says the paper. "Running the extra mile, making the draining tackle, searching for the rewarding goal." The other berth goes, inevitably, to Liverpool's talisman Suarez, who was on target once again in the win over Spurs. "I cannot pick a Team of the Week without including Luis Suarez," says Crooks of the BBC. Neither can anyone else.