The Chelsea midfielder features alongside Santi Cazorla after beating Bobby Tambling’s goalscoring feats, while Theo Walcott partners the Liverpool striker in attack

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard tops the bill in the latest instalment of the Premier League Team of the Week, with the Blues star joined by Arsenal duo Theo Walcott and Santi Cazorla.

The 34-year-old became the Blues’ all-time leading scorer after his double against Aston Villa on Saturday saw him overtake Bobby Tambling at the top of the charts with 203 goals.

Walcott and Cazorla, meanwhile, are also selected after their polished performances in the 4-1 demolition of Wigan on Tuesday night, with the diminutive Spaniard providing all four assists at the Emirates Stadium.

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge also gets the nod, having netted a superb hat-trick to see off Fulham on Sunday, while Everton forward Kevin Mirallas earns a spot after his two goals helped the Toffees down West Ham in David Moyes’s final home game in charge.

At the back, Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy takes the goalkeeper jersey for his heroics in keeping the score down against Manchester City on Tuesday, while Nathaniel Clyne, Danny Rose, Michael Dawson and Fabricio Coloccini make up the back four.

The Anfield boss believes his debut term in charge of the Reds has put him in good stead to challenge for a Champions League qualification place next season

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes his side will continue to progress next season after a promising finish to the current campaign.

The Northern Irishman feels a year’s worth of experience in the Anfield hotseat as proved a steep learning curve, one which should ensure his side continue to go from strength to strength next term.

Rodgers is now targeting qualification for the Champions League as the Reds’ next goal in the Premier League.

“This year has provided a great learning curve for me and I look back and see that it was learning that I needed,” he told the Liverpool Echo.

“I knew the expectancy of the club but going into next season, I am a much better prepared manager for that.

“We want to make significant improvements next year in the points total because the reality is we are 30 points behind the leaders and 11 points behind the top four.

“But I’ve seen enough and if we improve our mentality in the summer – by signing players who have that consistent winning mentality – we can then improve again, like we have done in the second half of the season.

“That’s the job of the recruitment team and the club to identify those types of players.  They might not always be the best players but what we need in the second year of this project is to find a great level of consistency.  There is a process of getting into the top four and becoming champions and that is consistency.”

Rodgers did not enjoy the best start to his Anfield tenure – winning two of his opening nine Premier League outings – but Liverpool’s from have picked up of late with just one defeat in their last 10 games.

“This club didn’t win two league games in a row for over a year,” he continued. That came earlier on in the season and when you step back and look at that, it is nowhere near good enough if you are going to succeed.

“You build a mentality in your group and you get the types of players who can be on it every single game. I’ve loved every minute of being here and the small steps of where we want to go.  But now I want to make bigger steps.”

The 24-year-old appears to be out of favour at Anfield and Willie Duncan believes that a return to St James’ Park in the summer may be on the cards for the Liverpool striker

As the end of the Premier League season approaches, football fans the length and breadth of the country will be studying the gossip columns carefully as they try to find out information on which players are being linked with a move to their club.

One player who seems certain to be subject of such speculation is Andy Carroll. The 24-year-old striker, currently on loan at West Ham United, will return to Liverpool this summer.

However, it seems unlikely that the former Newcastle United frontman is going to feature in manager Brendan Rodgers’ plans for Liverpool as the Northern Irishman looks to revitalise the Reds following another mediocre campaign for the Anfield club.

With Carroll seemingly out of favour at Anfield, it seems likely that the striker who joined Liverpool from Newcastle United for £35 million in 2011 may well be on the move once again.

The Magpies secured their Premier League status with a 2-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers on Sunday afternoon, are rated as even money (2.0) chances with Coral to bring Carroll back to St James’ Park.

Such a move would certainly benefit Alan Pardew’s men who have been left somewhat short of striking options since Senegalese star Demba Ba joined Chelsea in January.

West Ham United are chalked up at 11/4 (3.75) with Coral to retain Carroll’s services on a permanent basis following a loan spell which has seen the 24-year-old striker score seven goals in 23 appearances for the Hammers this term.

The betting market indicates that a return to St James’ Park or a permanent deal at Upton Park are the only realistic options open to Carroll at this time with a move to Stoke City chalked up as a 12/1 (13.0) chance with Coral while the same firm go 16/1 (17.0) that the striker signs for Tottenham Hotspur.

Aston Villa may find it necessary to replace top scorer Christian Benteke should the Belgium international move on in the summer and Paul Lambert’s side are rated as a 25/1 (26.0) chance to secure Carroll’s signature. The market is completed by newly-promoted Cardiff City – a 33/1 (34.0) shot to sign the 24-year-old.

However, speculation at the weekend suggested that Carroll’s preference is for a return to St James’ Park.

Should Carroll rejoin the Magpies, it is a move which is likely to prove beneficial to all parties concerned and, therefore, the even money (2.0) quote from Coral for Newcastle United to be Andy Carroll’s next permanent club is the recommended play for punters here.

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Willie Duncan is a freelance sports journalist. Willie, from Edinburgh, has covered Scottish football for over 10 years and he specialises in football betting markets from across Europe. You can also follow Willie on Twitter