Jonny Evans was a goalscorer for Manchester United © PA Photos Enlarge

On a weekend when Manchester United smashed five, Swansea hit three, and the FA Cup semi-finals began to take shape, here are the 11 outstanding performers.

Goalkeeeper

One spat with Robin van Persie aside, Tim Krul has had a very successful season, and to think before it started he had yet to establish himself as Newcastle's No. 1. Krul was in fine form against Norwich, making three vital saves despite being untested for large periods of the game. His best stop came from a point blank Zak Whitbread header that stopped his side dropping two points.

Defender

It's a goal drought that has lasted longer than Fernando Torres' - if you can believe that - but as Jonny Evans is a defender then we probably should forgive him. Evans is enjoying a resurgence this season, having been maligned last year, and added to an accomplished display at the back as he sparked off Manchester United's rout at Molineux with a tidy finish. It came from close range, after Michael Carrick had pulled the ball back, and was his first for the club.

Defender

It wasn't Gary Cahill's first ever goal, but the header that began Chelsea's five-goal rout of Leicester in the FA Cup was his maiden goal for his new club. Rising highest to nod home from close range, Cahill showed he carries a similar goal threat to Blues' captain John Terry. And after scoring, he revealed a T-shirt that read "Pray 4 Muamba," as he expressed support for his former Bolton colleague who is in a critical condition after collapsing at White Hart Lane on Saturday.

Defender

For any team to prosper against Stoke, they need their defenders to repel wave upon wave of aerial assaults into their penalty area and luckily for Liverpool, Martin Skrtel was certainly in the mood on Sunday. The Slovakian defender got his head on a variety of crosses, corners and throw-ins, as Liverpool booked a return to Wembley in the FA Cup semi-finals.

Midfielder

Much maligned he may have been in the early part of his career but James Perch is slowly winning people round at Newcastle. Deprived of the combative Cheick Tiote against Norwich, Perch played the role of 'chief disrupting influence' with vigour. Breaking up play in midfield, Perch got his head on several dangerous crosses and more often than not was the first man on the scene when the ball was loose in midfield.

Midfielder

Swansea have added another dimension to their football with the acquisition of Gylfi Sigurdsson. The Icelandic star now has five goals and two assists in his nine games for the club after his brace at Fulham on Saturday. Both were close range finishes, as he nodded home from Scott Sinclair's cutback before swapping passes with the impressive Wayne Routledge to fire home his, and Swansea's, second.

Gylfi Sigurdsson scored twice for Swansea © Getty Images Enlarge

Midfielder

Also revelling in this day of rare goalscorers was Stewart Downing, who grabbed only his second goal for Liverpool in the victory over Stoke. The former Middlesbrough winger is steadily finding his feet at Anfield, upping the quality of his delivery in recent outings. His goal belied the confidence he must lack after a barren few months, as he collected Steven Gerrard's inadvertent lay-off to drive into the area and fire a shot past Thomas Sorensen.

Midfielder

Manchester United's front six were ruthless against beleaguered Wolves, bumping their goal difference up towards Manchester City's. Particularly enjoying the riot at Molineux was Antonio Valencia, who had a hand in four of United's five goals, emphatically scoring the second after making a powerful run down the right flank as the away side broke quickly from a corner; then squaring for Danny Welbeck to add a third.

Forward

Javier Hernandez also impressed for United glancing a delicate header into the net for number four, before Valencia combined delightfully with Welbeck to cross to the far post as Hernandez rifled a half volley into the corner of the net as United ran riot.

Forward

A wave of relief swept across Stamford Bridge as Fernando Torres finally broke a goal drought that was pushing towards the 26-hour mark. Looking lively from the off, the Spaniard set up Chelsea's second for Salomon Kalou, but it was when he shovelled a Raul Meireles pass into the corner of the net that a weight was lifted from his shoulders. He then glanced in a second before setting Meireles up for the fifth.

Forward

Luis Suarez was at his infuriating best on Sunday as Liverpool edged into the last four of the FA Cup. As is so often the case, Suarez was the brightest spark on the field and was involved in almost everything that Liverpool provided in an attacking sense. Apart from his on-field theatrics, Suarez is oft criticised for not scoring enough goals but he took Liverpool's first with aplomb, rifling a shot into the bottom corner to set the Reds on their way to Wembley.

Manager

"It was a phenomenal performance," Swansea boss Brendan Rogers said of his side's demolition job on Fulham at Craven Cottage. After the euphoria of last week's victory over Manchester City, Rogers was terrified his side would take their foot off the gas but he needn't have worried as they turned in an assured display that snapped Fulham's good home run of form. Indeed, with their Premier League place for next season all but assured, Swansea can go out and enjoy the final nine games.

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