Chelsea's snarling striker: Why Diego Costa should win PFA Player of the Year

The Premier League goal scoring record looked like it would fall in the early months of the season after Diego Costa's blistering start to life in England.

For five seasons, Chelsea strikers looked cursed as they struggled to find the back of the net. No matter who the club put up front, strikers continued to get outscored by Chelsea's collection of talented midfielders.

Didier Drogba's impressive scoring record during the 2009/10 season never came close to being equaled by the plethora of players to feature in attack. Whether it was Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto'o, Demba Ba, Daniel Sturridge, Nicolas Anelka or a handful of other players, the squad was forced to rely on alternative solutions for goals.

Costa appears to have finally broken the spell of bad luck. He's already scored the most goals (19) for a Chelsea striker since Drogba's 29 a handful of seasons ago, and could increase his total before all is said and done.

The Spanish international, who moved to England after transferring from Atletico Madrid, has been a sensational addition to the Premier League, transitioning to a new environment with the ease so few have experienced in years past.

His killer instinct in front of goal and fearless style of play have terrorized defenders, who just simply can't contain him. Costa constantly dares defenders to challenge him, and more often than not the result goes in his favour as he uses a combination of speed and strength to win one-on-one battles.

Although goal-scoring droughts have been rare to start his Chelsea career, his longest spell with out finding the back of the net occurred at one of the most crucial periods of the season. Costa was mired in an almost two-month slump, which, in the end, may have cost Chelsea it's spot in the Champions League as the Spanish international was a non-factor over two legs against Paris Saint-Germain.

Another knock on the 26-year-old is his ability to remain healthy. He's been bothered by a hamstring injury for a majority of the year, and finally paid the price for playing through the pain when he was forced out of Chelsea's game against Stoke less than 10 minutes after coming on as a substitution on April 4.

However, he should be back for the final push to end the season, with Jose Mourinho declaring Costa will be available for the final four games of the season.

With only one goal in each of their two matches without Costa, it's clear just how much of an impact he has on the team's attack. He instantly transforms the club into a potent scoring machine, as his presence alone creates opportunities for teammates as opposing defenders tend to place too much focus on him while a Chelsea's cast of elite footballers take advantage open space.

A season in the Premier League under his belt will only boost his confidence heading into next season, with his name likely to be included among the league's best players when the PFA Player of the Year nominees are announced a year from now.