POWER RANKINGS: Ollie Watkins starred again for Aston Villa as Erling Haaland bagged a brace

The Premier League run-in continued apace last weekend, leaving just eight games for most teams to play until we crown a champion and say goodbye to three more teams in the 2022-23 season.

Arsenal once more let slip two points on the road with another 2-2 draw, this time at West Ham, while Manchester City kept up the pressure with a 3-1 victory over Leicester - who continued their slide towards the Championship.

Bournemouth, Wolves and Crystal Palace all put daylight between themselves and the drop zone with important wins, while Nottingham Forest, Everton and Southampton all lost further ground.

For Leeds though it was a week to forget, after being thumped 6-1 at Elland Road by Jurgen Klopp's hot-and-cold Liverpool side, with Diogo Jota and Trent Alexander-Arnold particularly impressive - with VAR once again playing a key role.

With 10 spaces to fill in our Premier League Power Rankings table, here's who impressed the most in another pulsating weekend of action and drama in the English top-flight.

10. Trent Alexander-Arnold (new entry)

The English right back flourished for Liverpool against a Leeds side that afforded him far too much space and time on the ball for a player of his quality to not take advantage of.

A pair of assists for Alexander-Arnold were just reward for his work - the first a perfectly weighted ball across the box for Cody Gakpo to tap home, and the second from the centre of the park as he played a clipped ball over the top for Darwin Nunez to latch onto.

There was controversy over the use of his arm in the build-up to Gakpo's opener, but VAR chose not to intervene, leaving Alexander-Arnold the beneficiary of yet another contribution to his name, at a time when the questions over his ability seem to swirl with greater urgency than ever.

9. Eberechi Eze (new entry)

Eze was undeniably the star of the show for Crystal Palace, scoring both goals in a 14-minute salvo as the Eagles beat Southampton on the south coast to continue Roy Hodgson's winning return to the dugout.

The midfielder was alert inside the box amid lax and bewildered Saints defending, remaining on his toes to poke his side into the lead in the second half after a Jordan Ayew cut back.

However, his second strike was a definite goal of the season contender. Receiving the ball around 30 yards from goal, he wormed his way clear of three bodies with a brilliant change of direction, before letting fly with an unerring effort into the bottom corner.

A total of four dribbles, 56 touches, 30 passes and four tackles highlight a commanding performance in midfield.

8. Harry Kane (down five)

Tottenham and England talisman Kane, in comparison, had a weekend to forget as Spurs let slip a 1-0 lead to lose 3-2 at home to a Bournemouth side battling against relegation.

Bournemouth showed plenty of the guts and determination missing from Spurs at times this season, but Kane was unable to pull his side over the line as he so often has done in the past.

Kane had six shots, with only two on target, and was poor with the ball at his feet, failing to make a single dribble and managed just 24 passes from 38 touches as he fell short of his recent goal-scoring exploits, sliding down the rankings as a result.

7. Diogo Jota (new entry)

Alexander-Arnold may have grabbed a pair of assists, but Liverpool's best player on the pitch was Jota, who chipped in with an assist of his own as well as a brace to end his barren streak for the Reds.

After providing Mohamed Salah with his first of the game, the Portuguese forward scored his side's third after half-time with a well-taken effort with the inside of his boot from the edge of the box, following an exquisite pass by Curtis Jones.

Jota doubled his tally 21 minutes later from a similar position, this time assisted by Jordan Henderson, with half-volley on the spin into the bottom corner, opening his account for the season a la London buses and putting in a dazzling display in attack.

6. Jack Grealish (down two)

Man City's star on the left wing has been nothing short of brilliant in recent games, although he failed to score or register an assist on Saturday in his side's 3-1 victory over Leicester.

The former Aston Villa skipper was still a menace at the Etihad, and played a crucial role in winning the penalty for Erling Haaland's first goal by forcing a handball inside the box as he threatened to break clear and put in a dangerous cross.

The England international was characteristically confident with the ball at his feet, completing five dribbles, and made two tackles as he remained diligent in his work going back towards his own goal.

The 27-year-old has been one of City's most impressive players this term, with three goals and three assists in his last eight now.

5. Emiliano Martinez (up one)

The Aston Villa goalkeeper has been a crucial part of his side's impressive run of form, conceding just once in his last five outings - all of which have ended with the Villans taking all three points.

The Argentine World Cup winner has gone from strength to strength since lifting the famous trophy in Qatar, and was alert and focused between the sticks against a Newcastle side pushing for a Champions League spot.

Martinez made a pair of saves to deny Magpies striker Alexander Isak on Saturday, and was effective under the high ball, claiming twice as he continued to provide Unai Emery with solidity at the back to push forwards towards European football.

He now has 10 clean sheets this season, with six of those coming in the last eight games.

4. Gabriel Jesus (up one)

Arsenal's Brazilian striker was once again among the goals as he continues his scintillating form since recovering from injury, netting the opener against West Ham with just seven minutes on the clock.

The Gunners' No 9 was in the right place at the right time to poke home at the far post after a typically intricate passing move from the visitors down the right-hand side, taking his recent tally to four goal in his last three.

Jesus however allowed Bukayo Saka to take what could prove to be a crucial penalty in the race for a first Premier League title in 19 years, before being substituted for Jorginho.

Despite the result, Jesus is one of the form strikers in the league at the moment.

3. Gabriel Martinelli (down two)

Jesus' partner in Arsenal's impressive front three this term Martinelli may not have been on the scoresheet for the Gunners on Saturday, but he did provide an assist for captain Martin Odegaard to double the lead on 10 minutes.

The Brazilian put in an inch-perfect cross to the back post for the attacking-midfielder to burst onto in acres of space, volleying confidently into the back of the net first time.

Martinelli made three key passes, had a shot on target, and was accurate with his long passing - as well as once more continuing to make a nuisance of himself with his electric pace.

He was hooked on 67 minutes, unable to add further to his tally of seven goals and three assists in his last nine league outings.

2. Erling Haaland (up five)

It is hardly a surprise anymore when Haaland finds himself at the top end of this list, so prolific has the Norwegian been.

Another brace came against Southampton, with a coolly taken penalty that snuck past a diving Daniel Iversen and his left post, before the forward linked up with Kevin de Bruyne for the 12th time this campaign.

Haaland's goals have been a recurring theme this season, as he takes his tally up to 32 from 28 games, with eight games remaining in the schedule for him to blow the existing record for a 38-game season - which he now shares with Salah - into pieces.

1. Ollie Watkins (up one)

Villa's star Watkins tops the table this week, with another stunning display against Newcastle taking centre stage in the Premier League, after a brace and an assist at Villa Park.

The ex-Brentford forward set up Jacob Ramsey's opener, before a 19-minute double put the game beyond reach for the visitors as the hosts made it five wins from five, and stretched their unbeaten run to eight games.

And Watkins will have been disappointed to come away with just a brace, having hit the post early on in the game and having another goal ruled out correctly for offside, but he still finished the game as the league's form player.

The 27-year-old has scored 12 since the World Cup restart, and is surely and inexorably firing his way into the forefront of Gareth Southgate's mind as he looks ahead to a European Championship next year.