Alexis Sanchez and Diego Costa star in team of the week

It was a weekend of high drama in the Premier League, with Chelsea extending their lead with an eighth straight win, Man City seeing two players sent off against the Londoners, Liverpool committing suicide as they threw away a 3-1 lead to lose 4-3 to Bournemouth and second-placed Arsenal scoring five away at West Ham.

Elsewhere, Spurs also scored five as they demolished bottom-placed Swansea, Manchester United drew once more and defending champions Leicester lost again, this time at relegation-threatened Sunderland.

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

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Goalkeeper: Lee Grant (Stoke City)

Stoke moved into the top half of the table with victory over Burnley. Grant made four saves "and was one of only three Premier League goalkeepers to keep a clean sheet over the weekend", reports Goal.com.

Defence: James Tomkins (Crystal Palace), Steve Cook (Bournemouth), Marc Muniesa (Stoke), Kyle Walker (Tottenham)

Tomkins is another player in the Goal.com team, with the website saying his goal in Palace's win against Southampton meant he had scored in back-to-back Premier League games for the first time in his career. A clean sheet was also an impressive achievement after Palace's five-goal horror-show against Swansea last week.

Bournemouth defender Cook may have conceded three goals, but he was key as his side emerged victorious against Liverpool. "Cook's last-ditch defending at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday prevented the Reds from running away with the game, while his finish for the Cherries' equaliser was one any striker would be proud of," says ESPN.

Stoke's Spanish defender Muniesa made an impression on Garth Crooks of the BBC, among others, this week. "His presence on the ball for a defender was clearly visible and indicative of his time at Barcelona as a youngster," says the pundit. "His goal, however, was out of the Gerard Pique book. To see a central defender start a move in his own half, follow the ball into the opposition's penalty area and then demand the ball from a goalscorer, get it, and finish like Lionel Messi, was something I just never expected."

Spurs full-back Kyle Walker gets the final berth in the back four after selection by Jamie Redknapp of the Daily Star and Jason Burt of the Daily Telegraph. He also makes Garth Crooks's team - as a midfielder.

Midfield: Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea), Christian Eriksen (Spurs), Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth), Matt Phillips (West Brom)

Chelsea's forgotten man made an impact at the Etihad, says ESPN: "Making his first appearance since September, Fabregas pulled the strings as Chelsea came from behind in the second half to give Manchester City a beating, and his pass to pick out Diego Costa for the Blues' first goal was simply stunning."

After two goals and an assist, Eriksen is "fully out of his early-season funk", says Gab Marcotti of ESPN. He also scored an impressive 18 Fantasy Premier League points this week.

Bournemouth sub Fraser only needed 35 minutes to earn a place in the team. He "flipped this game on its head and put Liverpool to the sword", says the Daily Mirror. "Fraser came on at 0-2 and immediately won his side a penalty. The Reds scored again but then Fraser brought it back to 2-3 before setting up Steve Cook for the late equaliser... one of the great Premier League substitute appearances."

The "pieces seem to be falling into place" for West Brom goalscorer Phillips, who found the net in the 3-1 win over Watford, says Crooks of the BBC. "He looks a different player under Pulis' direction and... Scotland must have some very good players if they can afford to leave Phillips out of the team the way he's playing at the moment."

Attack: Diego Costa (Chelsea), Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)

"When Diego Costa is in the mood, there's simply no stopping him - as Manchester City found out Saturday," says ESPN. "The Spain international was pivotal to Chelsea's wonderful turnaround victory, as he led the line brilliantly, scored a superb equaliser and teed up teammate Willian for their second of the afternoon."

The final berth goes to Arsenal forward Sanchez, who scored a mesmerising hat-trick against West Ham. "You won't see many better," says Crooks of the BBC. "Neither will you see a striker just as keen to assist his team-mates as he is to score himself. However, that is Sanchez. What a pro." Unsurprisingly, the Chilean was top Fantasy Premier League points-scorer with a massive 23.