As the Premier League moves into the second half of the season, Thomas Woods looks at who the leading contenders for the Player of the Year award are.
Diego Costa, Chelsea
The Spain international, 28, has already beaten his tally of goals (12) from 2015/16 to lead his team to the top of the Premier League table. If he carries on scoring at this rate, breaking the 30-goal barrier is a real possibility. He is scoring game-winning goals too, not just padding his statistics.
Key game: Chelsea 2-1 West Ham United, August 16. Chelsea's first game of the season set the tone for Costa. He scored a last-minute winner but was also lucky not to be sent off. Had he been suspended, things could have worked out differently. Instead, he set off on a run that has seen him score in all but five league games this season.
The case for: Gone is the volatile striker always on the verge of red card. In his place, a lethal, hard-working centre-forward whose link-up play has improved hugely. Whether it is the impact of manager Antonio Conte or just self improvement, Costa has become often unplayable. If he ends the season as top scorer, he has a fine chance of picking up the top award too.
The case against: Chelsea, attacking wise, are a two-man double act; Costa and Eden Hazard. They are sharing headlines and if it stays that way, it could split voters and allow another player a better chance.
Premier League stats: 19 games, 14 goals, 5 assists
Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool
The Brazilian, 24, emerged as Liverpool’s key creative player last season and has been pivotal to his side’s strong first half to this campaign. He is a perfect example of a player with obvious potential improving season on season to reach a point, now, where he is one of the best in the league. The fact that Real Madrid and Barcelona are being linked with a move for him says it all.
Key game: Arsenal 3-4 Liverpool, August 14. In a sign of what was to come from Liverpool, they put in 40 minutes of superb attacking football to take the game away from Arsenal. Trailing 1-0, they scored four times between the 45th and 63rd minutes, with Coutinho at the heat of the action. He scored twice — one a stunning free kick.
The case for: The best player in the league's best attacking side, Coutinho has reached a point where he can be almost unstoppable. The way he runs with the ball at pace leaves defenders in a twist and his importance to Liverpool seems obvious — he was injured at the end of November and his side took just one point from the next two games.
The case against: Coutinho might not be back on the pitch until February because of his ankle injury. Is that enough time to make an impact? If Liverpool are still in the title reckoning by then, there is every chance that he can put his name in lights again, but it is a tight time window.
Premier League stats: 12 games, 5 goals, 5 assists
Eden Hazard, Chelsea
After a 2015/16 to forget, Hazard has rediscovered his form. The Belgian is thriving in Chelsea’s 3-4-3 formation, carrying the ball at pace and regularly beating two or three players at a time. The Player of the Year in 2014/15, he has a fine chance of again picking up the award.
Key game: Manchester City 1 Chelsea 3, December 3. This was the game when people sat up and took notice of Chelsea's title credentials. Hazard was at the centre of things, inspiring a comeback from a goal down. His counter-attacking runs made the difference.
The case for: Hazard catches the eye so while teammate Costa is getting the goals, the Belgian is often the spark for Chelsea's best moves. When he gets the ball, fans get ready for something to happen and, like Coutinho, he is near impossible to stop. He is the man most of Chelsea's moves flow through.
The case against: Similar to Costa's issue, votes could be split between two Chelsea players. Hazard also, surprisingly, only has two assists this season, which might count against him.
Premier League stats: 19 games, 9 goals, 2 assists
Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal
Despite playing pretty much constant football with Arsenal and Chile over the past three years, Sanchez shows little sign of tiring. He is unrestable for manager Arsene Wenger and a move to centre forward has put him in the goals.
Key game: Arsenal 3-0 Chelsea, September 24. Arsenal blew Chelsea away with two goals in the first 14 minutes, with Sanchez scoring the first. It could have easily been a lot more, so good was Arsenal's passing display. At that point, Arsenal seemed more likely to be leading the league at Christmas, not Chelsea.
The case for: Sanchez has been directly involved in nearly half of Arsenal's goals and, of all the contenders, he has the best statistics. He is his side's key man and the one player whose prolonged absence from the team would likely derail his side's title challenge.
The case against: Apart from against Chelsea, Sanchez has not scored in any game against title rivals. Arsenal's title challenge has weakened in recent weeks, and if Sanchez cannot inspire a comeback, it could hurt his chances.
Premier League stats: 19 games, 13 goals, 7 assists
Who else could win the award?
There’s another three months for a player to impress his fellow voters and it’s almost always going to be a midfielder or attacker who wins the award.
Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne or Sergio Aguero could have a big chance if their side's mini-slump is over. City flew out of the blocks at the start of the season, with six straight wins, and it seemed like they would walk to the title. Aguero has 10 goals while De Bruyne has been City's star man in several games.
Another Liverpool player, Sadio Mane or Roberto Firmino, could put their name on the list, especially if Jurgen Klopp's side close the gap on Chelsea at the top of the table. And, if Manchester United's improvement continues, Zlatan Ibrahmiovic's goals may get him on the list.
The National’s verdict
If Coutinho comes back from injury and picks up where he left off, the Brazilian should beat Costa and Hazard to the award. Liverpool have a great chance of winning the title with the Brazilian in their line-up.
