F365's Top Ten Important Players In the Run-In...

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10. Jobi McAnuff (Reading)
As Nick Miller pointed out in Big Weekend last week, one of the strangest things about the sacking of Brian McDermott was the timing of the termination, apparently without a replacement lined up. Whoever takes over the reins at the Madejski will suffer from an unfamiliarity issue. The squad will not know the manager, and the manager will not know them.

Jobi McAnuff has been one of Reading's top performers this season, but it is his position as club captain and senior professional that will be most important from now on. If they are to have any chance of survival (and I personally think that ship has sailed over the horizon) the new appointment at Reading must hit the ground running. McAnuff will be vital.


9. Morgan Schneiderlin (Southampton)
Whilst Ricky Lambert takes many of the headlines (and the import of his 13 league goals cannot be under-estimated), if Southampton succeed in avoiding the drop, many at St Mary's will be reserving the highest praise for midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin.

What is most impressive about the 23-year-old Frenchman is his ability to operate in both attacking and defensive areas. He has made more tackles and interceptions than any other Premier League player, acting alongside Jack Cork as the holding couple in an otherwise attacking midfield. However, 60% of Schneiderlin's passes have been in attacking areas and he is Southampton's second highest scorer.

A multi-dimensional midfielder is a valuable entity in a relegation battle. More repetitions of his performances against Liverpool and Manchester City and the Saints may be saved. Mauricio Pochettino should be rather grateful.


8. Shaun Maloney (Wigan)
"Shaun Maloney is one of the most gifted players you can see in this league. He has a good eye for a pass but other than that he has moved to a different level. This season is a reflection of what he did last season. I hope he gets a lot of recognition as he deserves all the credit."

Whilst that quote from Roberto Martinez can perhaps be put in a file marked 'Optimistic (Very)', there is no doubt that Maloney is a much-improved player. This is a man who started just eight league games last season, but as one of Wigan's better performers he has helped them to again instigate a late-season surge.

Maloney's importance at the DW can be summed up by the fact that he has missed just four minutes of Premier League football since Christmas. Martinez must hope that his "different level" is sufficient to drag the club to safety once again.


7. Loic Remy (QPR)
QPR's defeat to Aston Villa left Harry perilously close to the proverbial punch in the stomach that put paid to the original Houdini, but whilst there is no doubt of the lunacy of much of the club's transfer activity, the £8million spent on Loic Remy at least appears to be value for money.

If anything, Remy's performances simply mock many of those around him, as he has looked a cut above at Loftus Road, scoring three goals with his first six shots in English football. And whilst hopes look fairly desperate, QPR's best chance of survival is the hope that the France international can provide victory in games against Fulham, Wigan, Stoke, Reading and Newcastle.

Remy's February groin injury may turn out to be the significant nail in QPR's relegation coffin.


6. Stephane Sessegnon (Sunderland)
Sunderland are currently doing a reasonable impression of a side careering inevitably towards relegation, and given that they face Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle and Everton in their next four games, an alarming run of performances needs reversing quickly.

Sunderland are crying out for creativity in order to provide Steven Fletcher with the chances that he will inevitably convert (he failed to register a single shot against Norwich). With Adam Johnson's form seemingly consistently AWOL, the responsibility may fall at the dancing feet of Stephane Sessegnon. Frustratingly inconsistent, the Benin forward must now provide a little more sustenance.


5. Leighton Baines (Everton)
Free-kick taker (and occasional scorer). Penalty taker. Corner taker. Defender. Crosser. Creator of chances. Only David Silva has made more key passes per game this season in the Premier League, and the Spaniard has a great deal less defensive responsibility than Baines.

If Everton win their game in hand they will be just three points behind Spurs in fourth. Their overachievement this season has been matched by that of Baines, and the left-back will have to continue to effectively act as Everton's left-hand side if they are to gain a memorable Champions League qualification.

It wouldn't be too hyperbolic to suggest that Baines' form this season may be the crucial factor in David Moyes' continued residence at Goodison.


4. Lukasz Fabianski (Arsenal)
There has been much written about the reason for Arsenal's demise of late, but the position of goalkeeper has perhaps seen the most worrying decline, to such an extent that Arsene Wenger seems to have finally lost patience with Wojciech Szczesny ('his mental state' seems suitably vague to be translated as 'dropped').

A fortnight ago Fabianski would have ranked alongside Gunnersaurus as Arsenal's likely candidate for such a list, but having kept clean sheets against Bayern Munich and Swansea, the Pole seems to have grasped the opportunity with both hands if you pardon the pun, given Fabianski's cruel nickname.

Having a goalkeeper in which Wenger can trust will do much to increase the optimism for a top-four finish, such has been Arsenal's propensity for cock-up. Fabianski may not be number one next season, but right now the club can only look to the here and now.


3. Juan Mata (Chelsea)
The top assist-maker in the league, and Chelsea's second-highest scorer, if Rafa Benitez is to deliver a glorious Champions League finish in front of his adoring support at Stamford Bridge, Juan Mata will be the man to thank more than most.

The Spaniard has failed to start just six games in the Premier League this season, and Chelsea have won only one of those - whilst Benitez has often opted to rotate his players since his appointment, Mata has been been a constant.

When Thierry Henry left the Premier League I scolded myself for taking him for granted whilst he was here, and I have learnt my lesson with Johnny Kills. You don't know a good thing until it's gone, but one thing is for sure, Mata's value at Stamford Bridge cannot be overstated.


2. Christian Benteke (Aston Villa)
Matthew Stanger touched on the point excellently in Winners and Losers, but the relegation battle's most salient statistic is this: No other Premier League player has a higher proportion of his side's goals this season than Benteke's 42%. Those goals have gained the club 14 points, practically half their total.

The Belgian's performances this season deserve greater praise when his situation is considered. Only five players have scored more goals (all for sides in the top ten), he is 22 years of age and he has had just seven months in England.

It has been a tough season for Villa, but Benteke has been comfortably the brightest (and most important) player.


1. Gareth Bale (Tottenham)
Stop yawning, who else could it be? Whilst the phrase 'one-man team' portrays a reasonable level of footballing ignorance, there is no doubting Bale's influence at White Hart Lane.

A fact to highlight this perfectly is that of the last 11 games in which the Welshman has scored, Spurs have won ten and drawn one. Of the last six games in which he has failed to score, Spurs have won none.

Spurs' latest wobble has left them as third favourites for a top-four finish. Bale's success over the final two months of the season will be the deciding factor in those odds being overcome.


Daniel Storey - he's on the Twitter.