Lukasz Fabianski
After 7 torrid seasons at the Emirates, Fabianski has kept 12 clean sheets for Swansea and looks likely to be named the Swans' Player of the Season. The Pole has also cemented his position as his national team's no.1. Not bad for a man formerly known as 'Flappyhandski.'
Aaron Cresswell
Despite keeping five fewer clean sheets, West Ham have so far conceded eight goals less than they did last season. Not much was made of Aaron Cresswell's £3.5m arrival from Ipswich last July, but the Liverpudlian left back has been ever-present for Sam Allardyce's men, chipping in with four assists, two goals and two man-of-the match displays. Once released by Gérard Houllier at boyhood club Liverpool, the 25 year old has recently been linked with moves to both Manchester City and Chelsea and is tipped for an England call-up in the near future.
Hector Bellerín
The 20 year old Spaniard has been impressive in his 16 Premier League appearances, notching two goals and playing an integral role in Arsenal's 8 clean sheets in that same period. Some outstanding, useful trivia: Bellerín was confirmed by Theo Walcott to be the fastest player in the Arsenal squad last August, beating Walcott's 40m sprint club record time of 4.42 seconds. (H/T arseblog)
Stewart Downing
The season's renaissance man with 5 goals, 8 assists and a string of blistering performances for West Ham. Downing was recalled to the England squad for games against Scotland and Slovenia in November at the grand old age of 30. Like his team mate Cresswell, Downing has also notched two man of the match displays in the Premier League.
Ashley Young
Once the leading cause of baldness in the Greater Manchester area, Ashley Young has been reinvented under Louis van Gaal- seemingly relishing his defensive responsibility as well as excelling on the front foot when United have really needed him. He'll still land the odd cross in Salford, bless him, but the 29 year old's 2 goals and 4 assists have all come at crucial junctures in United's league campaign. If you told United fans that Ashley Young would be man of the match three times this season they would have instantly dialled 999.
Marouane Fellaini
He may have spent last season looking like a sad tree, but Marouane Fellaini's influence on the second half of another tumultuous United season has been deservedly lauded. Of his 6 league goals, 5 have given United the lead. Fellaini has revelled under some clever man-management by his Dutch boss, fast being proclaimed as one of United's most important players.
Yannick Bolasie
4 goals to last season's singlular strike, (though, admittedly, three of them did come in one game at Sunderland). 6 assists. The winger has truly come alive under Alan Pardew, producing some outrageously unorthodox moments of brilliance, not least this.
Charlie Austin
Were it not for Chaz, QPR would likely have found a way to relegate themselves by late August. Austin has equalled his tally of 17 Championship goals last season in the Premier League. In many ways, he is the reverse Sylvain Ebanks-Blake.
Harry Kane
"Wha'd you bring him in here for? He ain't the guy!"
Yes, here's the story of the Hurricane. So rapid was the Tottenham striker's rise to superstardom, he had scored 19 Premier League goals before my rugby-playing housemate knew who he was. An obvious Player of the Year nominee, Kane will either become a time-honoured Premier League marksman or experience the greatest fall from grace since James Beattie in 2003. Still, 20 league goals has meant there hasn't been too much of this going on.
