Hazard masterclass Belgian third in latest European player form rankings

It’s all change in this week’s player form rankings across Europe’s top five leagues. Well all that is, apart from one, with Lionel Messi the only non mover in the top 20, keeping his place at the top of the pile once more.

The Argentine scored late in a 2-0 win over Atletico that all but ensured Barcelona will retain their crown in Spain and extending his scoring streak in the league to five matches - finding the net eight times in total in that spell.

The gap, however, to Messi at the summit has decreased substantially since the weekend, with as many as nine players now earning a weighted rating* in excess of eight over their last six league appearances.

RISES

Robert Lewandowski has returned to second spot on the leaderboard following his brace in Bayern’s Klassiker romp over the poles former employers Dortmund, matching Messi’s feat of eight goals in his last five league appearances. The striker is up four places, while Eden Hazard (third) enjoyed a huge jump by comparison having not featured in last week’s top 20.

The Belgian was at his very best in victory over West Ham on Monday night, with his first of two goals undoubtedly ranking as one of the solo strikes of the season as he slalomed into the box before guiding home under pressure. The 28-year old completed eight dribbles and five key passes for a perfect ten rating having scored and assisted a goal the week previous against Brighton.

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is up to fourth, meanwhile, following a match winning double of his own against Eibar. The Frenchman’s two goals ensure he has now scored more in La Liga this season (17) - including six in his last five appearances - than the previous two combined.

Elsewhere Hoffenheim hotshot Ishak Belfodil is up seven places into sixth following a hat-trick against Augbsurg having scored two in victory over Bayer Leverkusen the weekend previous. The treble took the Algerian’s tally to 13 for the season despite only starting 14 of 22 Bundesliga appearances.

Thiago Alcantara (ninth) has moved up three places into a top ten rounded off by Jamie Vardy, who took his league tally for the season to 15 - six of which have come in five matches under Brendan Rodgers - with a brace at Huddersfield.

The Leicester striker is one of three Foxes that has rocketed into the top 20 since the new manager’s arrival, joined by James Maddison (14th) and Wilfred Ndidi (17th). Elsewhere the remaining climbers on this week’s leaderboard are Atalanta forward Josip Ilicic, Barcelona’s Luis Suarez, Hoffenheim midfielder Kerem Demirbay, Dusseldorf winger Benito Raman and Rennes’ Hatem Ben Arfa.

FALLS

Three players from last week’s top five have all taken slight tumbles this week, with Frankfurt’s Filip Kostic the only one of those to cling onto said status, falling one place from fourth. Nimes midfield Teji Savanier drops two into seventh, while Werder Bremen striker Max Kruse is down from third to eighth.

Lucas Digne has surrendered a place in the top ten despite his rating increasing following a 1-0 win over Arsenal, while the same is true of Nicolas Pepe’s score as he drops one place - to 18th - despite a man of the match rating of 8.03 at Reims.

The biggest drop this week, of those to have stayed on the leaderboard at least, is that of Kylian Mbappe, who falls from seventh to 16th having been rested from kick-off only to be called upon with the Ligue 1 leaders behind to Strasbourg. Elsewhere Alejandro Gomez, Jadon Sancho, Marcel Halstenberg, Raheem Sterling, Willi Orban, Raul Garcia and Luis Alberto descend out of the top 20 altogether.

*QUALIFYING RULES
 
Only ratings taken from each player’s last six league matches are considered, weighted chronologically, with the most recent match carrying greater importance and so on. To qualify each player must have featured in their side’s last league game and started at least six of the last eight available.