There are a host of top, top players currently showcasing their skills in the Premier League.

With the likes of Harry Kane and Romelu Lukaku banging in goals and playmakers like Kevin de Bruyne and Eden Hazard creating chances aplenty, there is a long list of star names vying for the title of best footballer in England.

But who is the most important ?

We asked out top reporters to pick out the most influential player in the Premier League right now - the player who is most important to their team.

As usual, the debate raged for some time…

John Cross - Harry Kane

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Image:
Action Images via Reuters)

11 goals in 6 games means no-one else comes close in terms of one player's influence on their team.

He's not a one-man team (Tottenham have got other top players) but, on current form, he's driving his team almost single-handedly.

City have got Kevin De Bruyne in top form. United have Romelu Lukaku. But for one player's influence on their team it has to be Kane.

Mike Walters - Kevin De Bruyne

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Image:
Reuters)

He scored the winner at Chelsea and he's called more tunes in the Premier League this season than a jukebox.

Kevin De Bruyne has been the heartbeat of everything good about Manchester City this season - from his passing range and wicked set-piece delivery to the odd goal like his left-foot missile at Stamford Bridge.

There was a time when many of us thought the £54 million City paid to bring KDB back to English football from Germany was extortionate. He now looks worth every penny, and more.

Honourable mentions, in the biggest influence category, go to Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku, Nemanja Matic and Jamaal Lascelles, all of whom have made an outstanding start to the season.

But over the first seven games, there has been only one player's name on the pundits' lips every week. We need to talk about Kevin.

Neil McLeman - Harry Kane

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Image:
Action Images via Reuters)

Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku have enjoyed great starts to the season for the top two but no player is more important for any team than Kane at Tottenham.

The England forward did not score again in August as Spurs lost at home to Chelsea and drew with Burnley. But after re-finding his scoring boots on international duty, he has netted 13 times in eight games to for club and country to relaunch Tottenham's season.

He looks like he is going to score every time he gets the ball in the opponent's half right now.

Manchester City and Manchester United have alternatives for their stars. Take Kane out of that Tottenham team and they would go from potential title challengers to facing a fight to get into the top four.

David McDonnell - Nemanja Matic

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Image:
Clive Brunskill)

Nemanja Matic has had a huge influence on Manchester United's impressive start to the season, providing balance to Jose Mourinho's side and giving the more offensive players licence to push forward, in the knowledge he is mopping things up and providing security behind them.

He's also a much more accomplished passer than he's been given credit for in the past. Still baffling why Chelsea agreed to let him join United.

Kevin De Bruyne also deserves a mention. As he showed on Saturday, with his key role in Manchester City's 1-0 win at Chelsea, De Bruyne is the man for the big occasion and the player on whom his team can rely to produce something special when required.

His City team-mate David Silva may have more assists in the Premier League - six, to De Bruyne's three - but the Belgium international is the player that makes City tick - take him out of the team and Pep Guardiola's side would not have been as commanding as they have this term.

Jack Rathborn - Eden Hazard

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Image:
AFP/Getty Images)

Eden Hazard remains arguably the best player in the league, though his injury has allowed focus to shift towards Kevin De Bruyne in the debate.

Unlike his compatriot though, the Blues are more reliant on the former Lille star, who is able to take over games by himself in a way De Bruyne is less able to do.

Hazard has regularly dropped deep in search of possession and been able to drift past multiple challenges before finishing in style or delivering the perfect assist.

Without him, Chelsea will require a strategic master plan from Conte to live with the sheer depth of quality available to City this season, with him, now he is just about fully fit—as proven at the Etihad last season—Hazard could drag his side to a third Premier League title in four seasons.

Hamish Mackay - Alexis Sanchez

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REX/Shutterstock)

Arsenal may have finished fifth last season but even that disappointing standing was almost solely due to the exploits of Alexis Sanchez.

The Chile forward netted a staggering 24 goals and provided 10 assists in 2016/17. And all that playing as a winger.

Sanchez has just two assists to his name this season after missing the beginning of the campaign due to a lack of fitness - but his influence over Arsenal's performances is still greater than that of any other individual player across any team in the Premier League.

Even without directly being involved in goals, his movement and mere presence stretches and distracts opponents. Kevin De Bruyne is exceptional for Man City - but Guardiola could always use Bernardo Silva instead. There is no replacement for Sanchez.

Richard Innes - Jamie Vardy

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Plumb Images)

I'm not suggesting Jamie Vardy is as good a footballer as some of the other names on this list. That would be madness.

But in terms of influence and impact, does anyone make more of a difference to their side than Vardy?

Take the England striker out of the Leicester team and they are not only a lesser side, they are a completely different side.

Vardy's pace and style of play entirely dictate The Foxes' tactics and style of play. For any team preparing to face Leicester, the few days of work before a match must be purely about how to handle him.

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