Name: Riyad Mahrez
Position: Winger
Fixtures: Everton (A), Liverpool (A), Manchester City (H)
The Algeria international has been in inspired form this season for league leaders Leicester City – scoring 11 and assisting six goals in the Premier League.
Alongside record breaker Jamie Vardy; winger Riyad Mahrez has taken the Premier League by storm this season, helping Leicester City climb to the summit of the English top-flight by early-December.
The 24-year-old, who only cost the Foxes a bargain £400,000 from French outfit Le Havre back in January 2014, has scored 11 and assisted six goals in just 15 league games to fire Claudio Ranieri’s men up onto cloud nine.
After pulling off the great escape from relegation towards the end of the 2014-15 campaign; Leicester’s true Premier League title credentials will be tested over the festive period, with games against Merseyside duo Everton and Liverpool, plus title rivals Manchester City in the next 12 days.
Although teammate Vardy is the top-flight’s top goalscorer; Mahrez has been the key player providing the England striker the all-important ammunition, with the Algerian’s hat-trick against Swansea City earlier this month justifying our choice to name the winger as the Foxes’ most crucial player ahead of the Christmas run-in.
