Jumping the gun here slightly but with the PFA Player of the Year nominations set to be announced this month it’s prudent to take a look at the most likely to be on the six-man shortlist.
It’s rare that a defender wins this award – Chelsea’s John Terry was the last to do so, in 2004/05 – but there have been some sensational performers in this Premier League campaign, none more so than Arsenal’s young Spanish right-back Hector Bellerin.
Bellerin, 21, is so fast he now owns the club’s 40-metre sprint record in training. When you consider previous holders include Theo Walcott, by no means a slouch, and Thierry Henry, who made greased lighting look like it was treading quick sand, then we are talking serious speed. He is a one-man right-flank.
But as TV pundits seem determined to drill into us at every opportunity, it’s goals, not defenders, that win games.
More from Premier League:
Comment: Fortune has favoured Leicester City but that is only a small factor of their remarkable season
Team of the week: Who joins Arsenal duo and Liverpool's big-game player in this week's XI?
Gallery: Leicester triumph again and Anthony Martial bails out Manchester United — in pictures
Tottenham Hotspur’s Dele Alli has been a revelation in his first season in the top division. Signed in February 2015 for what looks a steal at £5 million (Dh26m), he was initially loaned back to MK Dons and went on to be named Young player of the Year at the 2014/15 Football League Awards. That’s the best young player of all 72 league clubs outside the Premier League.
To say he has taken the top division by storm this year is like saying Lionel Messi is the best footballer on the planet: 100 per cent accurate.
Alli’s performances and goals have made him a permanent in Mauricio Pochettino’s starting XI and make him a dead cert to be on the plane when Roy Hodgson names his England squad for Euro 2016 this summer.
His burst of speed to run in behind defences and vision to pick out a teammate enable him to operate in any of the attacking positions, but his main supply of goals this term have come from darting runs in from the left, a position that has proved problematic for England over the years.
In all probability, though, Alli is likely to scoop the young player of the year, but another Spurs player certain to feature in the older category, barring someone at the PFA losing their calculator when tallying the votes, is Harry Kane.
The Tottenham striker has shredded his “L” plates and is now the club’s talisman. Kane’s goal against Liverpool on Saturday was his 22nd league goal of the campaign and has helped transform his side into title challengers this season behind leaders Leicester City.
Speaking of Leicester City, it would be remiss not to mention their two best players: Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez. The England striker and the Algerian winger have netted 35 league goals between them this season to propel the most unlikely of fairy-tale title challenges. Leicester’s win against Southampton on Sunday – scored courtesy of defensive stalwart Wes Morgan, a player who can count himself unlucky to miss out on this list – sent Leicester seven points clear of Spurs.
The last, but by no means least, has to be West Ham United playmaker Dimitri Payet. His incision and ability to create chances – he has provided eight assists for teammates this season – and goalscoring ability (nine, including four direct free kicks) is in keeping with the tradition of previous French winners of this award such as Henry (twice) David Ginola and Eric Cantona.
Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE
Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport