5 front-runners for PFA Player of the Year at quarter-season mark

A quarter of the Premier League season has already elapsed, and with one point separating the top five teams it promises to be the tightest and most inclusive title fight for some time.

Rather predictability, players from that quintet have been the standout performers after nine matches.

Here are the five front-runners for the 2016-17 PFA Player of the Year prize, plus an unsung outsider from Southampton:

Kevin De Bruyne

"(Lionel) Messi is on a table on his own. No one else is allowed. But the table beside, Kevin can sit there," Pep Guardiola said in September.

De Bruyne and Fernandinho are arguably the most important players in the Manchester City lineup, but it's the former's ability to invade space and push pinpoint passes to his colleagues that has left Guardiola doe-eyed.

His work ethic is unquestionable, but, at just 25, how he transforms from a mild-mannered family man off the pitch to a fiercely competitive leader on it is of immeasurable value to his club.

If it wasn't for injuries and Riyad Mahrez's heroics last term, De Bruyne would've been firmly in the debate for the league's top man. This season, he could be the player to beat.

Roberto Firmino

Sadio Mane's start at Liverpool - four goals and two assists - outstrips that of any Reds player's first eight matches in the Premier League era, with the exception of Daniel Sturridge. Better than Luis Suarez, Fernando Torres, and countless others.

But without Firmino, Mane's output could be halved. The Brazilian's influence both on and off the ball has been invaluable to Jurgen Klopp's lot being tied on 20 points with Manchester City and Arsenal atop the table.

Firmino has almost doubled the amount of key passes per game he managed in 2015-16.

"To me, he's the trigger for when Liverpool do their high tempo pressing game," wrote England legend Alan Shearer for Coral. "When he goes, the rest of the team follow."

Eden Hazard

Second only to Wilfried Zaha in attempted dribbles. A similar conversion rate to Premier League top scorer Diego Costa. The audacity to stroll with the ball against Manchester United, only to leave Chris Smalling spinning merely seconds later.

Eden Hazard is back.

The 25-year-old has been liberated on the left-hand side of a front three for both Chelsea and Belgium, and is threatening to become a two-time Player of the Year winner, joining Gareth Bale, Thierry Henry, and Shearer.

Laurent Koscielny

Is there are a better defender in the division?

Koscielny has been colossal at the back for Arsenal, quickly forging an understanding with new boy Shkodran Mustafi and forming the foundations of what is Arsene Wenger's strongest squad since "The Invincibles" season of 2003-04.

The Frenchman wins an average of four headers every outing, and his low number of clearances - he makes just 3.3 per game - proves his adeptness in picking out simple yet attack-instigating passes to his midfielders.

Alexis Sanchez

Sanchez has thrived in the No. 9 role, bringing even more fluidity to Arsenal's attack and weighing in with four goals and three assists while on league duty.

Wenger appears to be drawing more killer instinct from players that had gained a reputation for lacking the nastiness required from top forwards. Mesut Ozil has been charged with scoring more, while Sanchez has successfully replaced the physicality that could've been found wanting when Olivier Giroud is languishing on the bench.

Sanchez also brings movement that Giroud simply couldn't, and his off-the-ball wanderings have dragged defenders aside for Alex Iwobi and Theo Walcott to steam through. Walcott in particular has benefitted from Sanchez's tirelessness.

The outsider: Virgil van Dijk

It's quite remarkable that Celtic, a team which still employs football impostor Efe Ambrose, could have developed a defender as cultured and composed as Van Dijk. The Dutchman spent two seasons in Glasgow after moving from FC Groningen in 2013, but his 2015 transfer to Southampton has seen him quickly establish himself as one of the Premier League's finest centre-halves.

If the Saints can make a dash for the European places - perhaps even gatecrash the top-four battle - Van Dijk would be instrumental in the charge and in consideration to become the first defender to win PFA Player of the Year since John Terry in 2005.