Who are the best Premier League players so far?

We’re one-third of the way through the 2016-17 Premier League season and there are only three points separating the top four – Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal.

Leicester City’s title defence has been non-existent and Manchester United’s title challenge looks to be over before Christmas.

A number of the top clubs have seen their players impress this season. So place your FA Cup bet for the top 10 so far:

Eden Hazard
Since the second half of Chelsea’s 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal in late September, Antonio Conte switched to a 3-4-3 formation and has won all seven Premier League games since, with Christian Eriksen’s strike for Tottenham the only goal the Blues have conceded in that run.

The formation switch has seen Eden Hazard play more of a free role and the Belgian superstar looks just like the one who picked up the PFA Player of the Year award for the 2014-15 season.

Hazard has been unplayable for a lot of this winning streak that Chelsea are on, scoring seven goals already this season from midfield. Although he only has one assist to his name, the playmaker has been creating a number of chances for his teammates and you can expect this figure to rise anytime soon.

Philippe Coutinho
Not many fancied Liverpool to make the top four at the start of the season but now they’re right in the title hunt – only one point behind leaders Chelsea after 13 games. Jürgen Klopp has got his Reds side playing some exciting football with a fearsome front three.

Philippe Coutinho got the ball rolling on the opening day of the season with his free kick at the Emirates just before half-time that saw Liverpool go in 1-1 at half-time to kickstart a comeback that saw them run out 4-3 winners against Arsenal.

The Brazilian has scored five goals and set up five more in a trio which includes fellow countryman Roberto Firmino. They look unplayable at times and genuine title contenders. However, Coutinho’s recent ankle injury that is expected to keep him out until 2017 is a massive blow to the Merseyside club.

Alexis Sánchez
Arsenal fans had been calling out for Arsène Wenger to sign a world class striker over the summer and were left disappointed when Lucas Pérez turned up from La Liga strugglers Deportivo La Coruña.

It turns out that the Gunners boss already had a world class striker on his books as it has turned out to be a genius move from the French manager by sticking Alexis Sánchez in that role.

The Chilean has already netting eight goals and supplied a further three assists. The ever-energetic Sánchez has been a real nuisance to most defences so far this season and provided he stays fit you can be sure he’ll be among the Golden Boot contenders.

Kevin De Bruyne

Guardiola has a number of playmakers at his disposal and whilst we have not seen the best of David Silva so far this campaign or very much of Yaya Touré at all, we’re seeing the best from one Belgian superstar under the former-Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach.

Aside from missing a couple of games through injury, Kevin De Bruyne has ripped open a number of defences this season. He’s creating chance after chance for teammates and currently leads the Premier League with seven assists.

De Bruyne also has two goals to his name but don’t be surprised if this number increases significantly between now and the end of the season because he’s got a good eye for goal himself.

Diego Costa
After a campaign last season Antonio Conte has re-energised his Chelsea side and getting the best out of many players that were a big disappointment during 2015-16.

Diego Costa is back to his best under the Italian, scoring an impressive 10 goals in 13 matches and providing four assists. The Spaniard has been really unselfish this season in creating several chances for teammates when he could have got a shot away himself.

The temperamental striker appears to have cooled down in recent weeks, not picking up a single yellow card during Chelsea’s seven-game winning streak having previously collected four in his first six matches of the season.

Sadio Mané
Some questioned Jürgen Klopp when he splashed out £32 million on Southampton’s Sadio Mané over the summer. The Senegalese attacker had previously blown hot and cold on the South Coast.

However, a new club and a new system, Mané has been tearing defences apart in a Liverpool shirt so far. The former-Saint already has six Premier League goals to his name and has set up a pair for teammates too.

Coming off the back of 10 and 11 goals over his previous two seasons in England, Sadio Mané is on course to have his best season yet and is certainly a bit part of why Liverpool are currently in title contention.

Sergio Agüero
Manchester City made a blistering start under Pep Guardiola following his appointment ahead of this season. And although the Citizens have dropped points of late, slipping down to third in the table, they still have a reliable hitman up front.

Sergio Agüero is the joint-Premier League top scorer after 13 games. The Argentine remains a lethal finisher and can create chances for himself too.

If Guardiola’s side are to go on to win the league in his first season then they will need Agüero to remain fully fit throughout the majority of the campaign.

Virgil van Dijk
Many tipped Southampton to struggle following the sales of Sadio Mané, Graziano Pellè and Victor Wanyama over the summer – another season where the South coast club lost some of its important players.

Claude Puel even got off to a slow start with only two points from his first four games in charge at St Mary’s but has since guided Southampton up the league with five clean sheets in his next nine Premier League games.

A big part of this Saints success has been Virgil van Dijk in the centre of defence. The Dutch international’s form has been so impressive that Manchester United and Liverpool are being linked with big money moves in January. Solid in the air, a good tackler and comfortable in possession – don’t be surprised if more clubs come hunting for van Dijk in 2017.

Laurent Koscielny
Arsenal shipped four goals on the opening day of the season without their leader in defence. Since then, only Swansea City have scored more than one goal in a single Premier League game versus Arsène Wenger’s side.

Laurent Koscielny has been a rock at the heart of the Arsenal defence once again this season and has found a good centre-back partner in Shkodran Mustafi following the German’s arrival from Valencia over the summer.

The Gunners are maintaining a top four spot and only three points off the top. An outside chance of winning the title but for that to happen Koscielny is one of those that need to remain healthy throughout the remainder of the campaign.

Adam Lallana
Jürgen Klopp’s 4-3-3 formation has been a joy to watch this season and a big success so far too. So much so three Liverpool players make it into our top 10.

Adam Lallana starred as a forward out Southampton who would drift in field and play down both wings. The Reds boss has redeployed the England international as a central attacking midfielder this season and it’s working wonders.

In 10 games Lallana has been involved in eight goals – scoring three and assisting a further five. Liverpool could certainly do with him back in the team as soon as possible as they remain one point off the pace setters Chelsea.