Mahrez, Payet, Kane and Aguero star in team of the week

Leicester City remain five points clear at the top of the table and show no sign of collapsing as the Premier League season builds towards its climax, with the chasing pack huffing and puffing behind them.

While Manchester City closed the gap with a win over doomed Aston Villa, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur could only draw at White Hart Lane.

West Ham United moved above Manchester United as the race for Europe or even the final Champions League spot continued.

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But who were the stars of the weekend action. Here's The Week's pick of the experts picks.

Goalkeeper: Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City)

It was another clean sheet for the Foxes' keeper on Saturday. "The Danish goalkeeper has been ever present for league-leaders Leicester City and continued to provide the bedrock for their solid displays in the win over Watford," says Goal.com

Defence: Charlie Daniels (Bournemouth), Virgil van Dijk (Southampton), Dejan Lovren (Liverpool), Toby Alderweireld (Spurs)

Bournemouth defender Daniels got on the scoresheet against Newcastle United and was picked by Harry Redknapp in his team of the week for the Daily Telegraph, who said the player "epitomises everything about Eddie Howe's team".

Van Dijk was another defender who got on the scoresheet. His strike against Sunderland was "the sort of goal a striker would have been proud of, never mind a centre-back", says Garth Crooks of the BBC, who notes that Van Dijk performed admirably at the back despite a red card for team-mate Jose Fonte.

Much-derided former Southampton defender Lovren was impressive for Liverpool against Crystal Palace, says Goal.com. "His positioning was good and the Croatian was resolute in limiting the number of chances that fell to Alan Pardew's side."

The final berth goes to Alderweireld, who scored for Spurs in the London derby and is "running away with the title of best defender in the Premier League this season", according to ESPN.

Midfield: David Silva (Man City), Dmitri Payet (West Ham), Riyad Mahrez (Leicester), Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea City)

Silva has not been at his best this season, says the BBC's Crooks, but he "had the time and space to do what he wanted" against Villa to help his team win 4-0.

West Ham playmaker Payet notched a goal and an assist as he masterminded a 3-2 victory over Everton. That earned him 13 Fantasy Premier League points, making him joint-highest scorer this week. He was also an ever-present in the experts' teams this weekend.

So, too, is Mahrez, who scored the crucial goal that gave Leicester a five-point lead at the top of the table. "Mahrez provided yet another clip for his absurd highlight reel this season," says ESPN. "As long as the Algerian keeps providing moments of quality like his rifled winner into the top corner, they could just do it."

Swansea midfielder Sigurdsson scored a "lovely goal" against Norwich, says Crooks, and he also gets the nod from Redknapp in the Telegraph.

Attack: Sergio Aguero (Man City), Harry Kane (Spurs)

The "deadly Argentine" is selected by the Daily Star in its team of the weekend after two goals against Villa. He displayed "the poise, composure and technical mastery that regular watchers have come to expect from one of the game's greatest forwards", says Goal.com.

An "absolute ripper" of a goal against Arsenal earns Kane a place in team of the week, says ESPN. "In the end, it was a shame a strike that sublime didn't turn out to be the winner."