It is a never-ending debate trying to assess who is the best player in the Premier League.

More often than not, we look at those operating in the attacking end of the pitch for inspiration when deciding on who we feel is the prime mover in England's top flight, or any other league for that matter.

The likes of David De Gea, Hugo Lloris, Thibaut Courtois and Petr Cech are considered the top goalkeepers in the competition, while such players as Laurent Koscielny, Virgil van Dijk, Gary Cahill, Cesar Azpilicueta, Vincent Kompany (when fit), Nathaniel Clyne and Toby Alderweireld would be up there in the defender ranks, among others.

Sure, the names of central midfielders like Paul Pogba, Jordan Henderson, Nemanja Matic and Dele Alli, to a degree, would be bandied around but none of these can compete (Pogba maybe, given time) with those I've selected.

Wide-men and playmakers in the ilk of Philippe Coutinho, Kevin De Bruyne, Mesut Ozil, Dimitri Payet, Sadio Mane - and throw in Harry Kane for good measure - are other names that may be tossed around.

But the attacking nous and devastating finishing skills of the league's key forwards is what impresses us, football fans, the most.

Take Diego Costa, Sergio Aguero and Eden Hazard for example.

Admittedly, Hazard is not as an imposing centre-forward force as the other duo but his skill set is undeniable and his on-pitch influence for Chelsea is irrefutable.

Hazard glides past would-be tacklers with consummate ease and mixes goalscoring propensity with assist-making affection.

The fiery Costa has been able to wrestle his inner demons under Antonio Conte and is, at the moment, harnessing all of his aggression previously directed at opponents onto the thing that matters most - the ball.

Costa has been absolutely irresistible for the Blues with 11 goals and five assists and his ability, thus far, to stay out of the headlines for the wrong reasons has him well-entrenched in the top two or three performers in Premier League football in 2016/17.

His brute strength, power and pace must be a nightmare for opposing centre-backs.

Aguero is a bona fide superstar for Manchester City. Pound for pound he is probably the Premier League's best.

Every season the Argentine ace delivers goals in abundance but there is always something lacking…only ever so slightly.

This term it has been his discipline that has let him down, culminating in his disastrous challenge on David Luiz on the weekend.

Aguero will miss four matches and there is no argument where he is of more benefit to his club - and that is certainly not in the stands.

On face value, Aguero may win many debates regarding English football's premium player but in my opinion, the diminutive Chilean from Arsenal assumes the mantle at present.

Alexis Sanchez is almost a manager's dream.

His 'bat-out-of-hell' training ground approach may send some coaches loopy but his on-pitch impact is without question. And at Arsenal, almost without peer.

The sheer amount of matches he plays, both for Chile and the Gunners, and the level he performs at on each occasion is immense.

Consistency is now not just creeping into his game, but is clearly evident, and his hard-working nature is the stuff of bad dreams for centre-halves all around the UK.

Alexis has been deployed through the centre of attack by Arsene Wenger this season and the North Londoners are reaping the rewards.

11 goals and 5 assists, equalling Costa's haul, has Arsenal in a strong position and in with a genuine title chance.

If the former Barcelona winger is capable of holding this current form, which saw him destroy West Ham United with a hat-trick on the weekend, then why can't Wenger's men break their premiership drought?

But it would be careless of us to place too much pressure on a player who is only beginning to understand the new position in which he has been assigned.

It appears as though Alexis is relishing the responsibility of leading the line, but the wild card is his penchant to create chaotic situations for himself, without the assistance of his teammates or any Wenger tactical plan.

Sometimes the 27-year-old thrives on disregarding the coherence that Wenger employs which spawns scenarios of uncertainty, and if that has the capacity to confuse his colleagues, imagine what it does to the opposition.

The key now is for Alexis to balance the two. He has to mix his delectable disarray with collective cohesion. Combine his madness with the method.

If that can be arranged then the sky is the limit and Arsenal may be on their way to something special.

But then again, haven't we said that before…?