Young and Fabregas inspire victories, Sunderland slump and West Brom wilt

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says his team deserve more credit for the way they have locked out top spot in the Premier League this season.

The Heroes and Villains of the Premier League weekend feature some heroic individual displays and some woeful team performances.

HEROES

Who are you and what on earth have you done with Ashley Young?! What a turnaround from everyone's least favourite Manchester United player, who has transformed from a feckless, diving void of unrealised potential into a potent threat and Louis van Gaal's favourite player. Young, if that is his real name, was the Dutchman's man of the match in Sunday's win vs. Manchester City and who would argue against him? But seriously, it is time for this imposter to reveal his true identity now.

Just when it was all looking a little tense, Cesc Fabregas popped up to end Queens Park Rangers' resistance and, surely now, put the title beyond reach of a host of inadequate challengers. Chelsea had been, as they have been so often of late, flat and lethargic, but when a cool head and a crisp strike was required, Fabregas was there to deliver. You have to question the wisdom of tearing off that face mask though. Surely the critical time for protection is when screaming men are going to jump on you?

The celebrations started moments before the final whistle and Tottenham's supporters should count themselves fortunate that Tim Sherwood kept his emotions in check for so long. Hired and fired in the space of six months by this club last season, Aston Villa's manager returned like an avenging samurai, albeit a samurai in smart casual attire. What a message to send to Spurs chairman Daniel Levy. You can mock the man, if it helps, but you can't mock the effect he's had on his new club. They are a team in his own image now; confident and pugnacious. Plus, they are almost safe.

Tom Sherwood returned to White Hart lane and left with all three points as Aston Villa beat Tottenham.

Speaking of managers proving points, this has been quite the week for Alan Pardew. As popular in Sunderland as he was in Newcastle while manager at St. James' Park, he guided Crystal Palace to victory at the Stadium of Light and lifted them above the 40-point marker. That's a position no-one could have expected in the time between Tony Pulis' dramatic resignation and Pardew's own arrival, AKA the Neil Warnock era. Pardew has harnessed the squad's mercurial talent, most notably Yannick Bolasie, while keeping all of its more prosaic attributes.

We've always got time for a trier here, so well done to Graziano Pelle for finally scoring another Premier League for Southampton. You have to go all the back to December 2014 -- 15 games ago -- to find the last time the Italian did that. Will it spark a resurgence in form? Saints will certainly hope so. Their routine 2-0 victory over Hull City lifted them to fifth place and with a forgiving run-in, you can't rule them out of a top four finish just yet. Pelle's goal was certainly enough to secure their highest-ever Premier League points haul. They currently have 56 and it's only April.