Premier League midseason awards: Leicester headlines unpredictable 1st half

This has not been the season for a successful flutter down your local bookmakers. The 2015-16 Premier League campaign has had more twists than an M. Night Shyamalan movie, and the minnows have continually shook those accustomed to finishes in the upper reaches.

Here are the winners and losers of a thrilling term so far:

Best Player: Mesut Ozil

Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez are certainly the poster boys of the first four-and-a-half months, but they are the frontmen of what has been a sterling collective team effort from Leicester City.

Mesut Ozil, on the other hand, is cruising toward an assist record that may never be beaten. At the halfway point, Arsenal's gifted German has laid on 16 goals for his teammates; the previous highest tally over a full season is 20, a 13-year record held by former Gunner Thierry Henry.

Formerly subject to questions over work ethic and concentration, Ozil has quickly become the Premier League's finest through his incredible vision and incisiveness.

Most Disappointing Player: Eden Hazard

Last season, Eden Hazard's bewildering footwork and almost selfish eye for goal helped Chelsea to a league title courtesy of an eight-point cushion. He was deservedly named the PFA Player of the Year.

This season his anonymity and lethargy have been alarming. True, Chelsea has been woeful, with only Willian deserving of any credit over the first 19 fixtures, but Hazard, previously so instrumental and capable of winning games on his own, has been a chief representative of his team's failings.

Best Signing: Toby Alderweireld

Tottenham's young English duo of Eric Dier and Dele Alli attract much attention in their country's back pages, but behind them is an ever-present Belgian who is often unimpeachable.

Toby Alderweireld impressed on a loan spell at Southampton last season, but controversially opted to move to Spurs for around £10.4 million in the summer. While not exactly a bargain buy, the former Atletico Madrid man's cultured play at the back has helped Tottenham's increasingly convincing bid to challenge at the top.

There was plenty of fine business conducted over the last window, such as freebie full-backs Allan Nyom (Watford) and Christian Fuchs (Leicester), Gerard Deulofeu's £4.25-million switch to Everton, and the costlier captures of Petr Cech (Arsenal), Yohan Cabaye (Crystal Palace), and Dimitri Payet (West Ham).

Best Goal: Martina's first-time swerver

(Courtesy: @SouthamptonFC)

What a way to introduce yourself.

Right-back Cuco Martina, making his first start for Southampton against title contender Arsenal on Boxing Day, had the ball bobble to him from around 30 yards out. When he jabbed at the ball with the outside of his right foot, it looked as if it would end up near the corner flag, but such was the swerve and power in the shot that it arrowed in beyond Arsenal's Petr Cech.

The first goal from a Curacaoan in the English game, and one that could be the best strike of this season.

Biggest Surprise: We've been inundated

The biggest surprise of this season is the sheer amount of surprises that we've been treated to.

The ineptitude of Chelsea and transformation of Leicester - bottom Christmas Day 2014, top Christmas Day 2015 - dominate, but numerous sides have performed well above expectations this term.

Crystal Palace and Watford sit in fifth and eighth, respectively, and injury-ravaged Bournemouth grabbed back-to-back wins against Chelsea and Manchester United earlier in December. The latter's Old Trafford home, previously a vital hub of Premier League entertainment, has also seen the least amount of goals across England's top four professional divisions.

It has been a series of shocks since the Aug. 8 kickoff.

Favourite Moment: Leicester 2, Chelsea 1

It was the Riyad Mahrez show as Leicester confirmed its credentials to qualify for Champions League football in the most spectacular fashion.

The artful Algerian's confidence in dribbling through Chelsea's trophy-laden legion was an absolute joy, while the visitor's woes were compounded in what was Jose Mourinho's last match in charge of the Blues.

The result bred a previously inconceivable set of circumstances: Leicester moved to the summit of English football, while reigning champion Chelsea sat above the drop zone with just one more point than 18th-place Norwich City.

Mahrez's goal - turning Cesar Azpilicueta inside out before finding the top corner - was a particular highlight.

Best XI

Goalkeeper: David De Gea (Manchester United)

Defenders: Hector Bellerin (Arsenal), Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham Hotspur), Scott Dann (Crystal Palace), Erik Pieters (Stoke City)

Midfielders: Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), N'Golo Kante (Leicester City), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal)

Forwards: Jamie Vardy (Leicester City), Romelu Lukaku (Everton)