Top 5 Players from Around the World This Weekend: UK Focus
The festive period is very much in full swing, and of world football's major leagues, very few have not gone on a winter break.
The Turkish league continues, with Fenerbahce continuing to win matches and edge themselves closer to the league title.
However, the focus for the top five players this weekend sticks to the UK, where teams are in the midst of a particularly busy Christmas and New Year's programme.
Thus, we've selected four players from the English Premier League and one from its Scottish counterpart to make our list this week.
Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Tom Huddlestone (Hull City)
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While Steve Bruce's Hull City may have made a very good start to life in the Premier League, few would have suggested that they would hammer run riot in the second half of their clash with Fulham on Saturday.
Goalless at half-time, the Tigers responded with six unanswered goals in the second period, running out with a 6-0 win over Rene Meulensteen's side.
And at the heart of everything good about the Humbersider's performances was Tom Huddlestone.
Since his arrival from Spurs in the summer, Huddlestone has impressed, with his range of passing and ability to manage games from the centre of midfield. Dovetailing tidily with Jake Livermore and (when fit) David Meyler, Huddlestone has been the chief schemer for the Tigers.
And against the Cottagers, afforded time and space in the central area, Huddlestone put on a masterclass.
His passing was excellent, knitting play neatly and finding Hull's attacking players in good areas, while his expansive showing yielded 81 percent accuracy, according to WhoScored.com.
Additionally, he made tackles, shut down his opposing numbers and generally ran the show.
His goal was just reward, while his free-kick was directly responsible for another goal after David Stockdale made a meal of it.
WhoScored made him their highest rated player with a 9.8 rating. Talk of an England call may be premature, but if he performs like this week in and week out, he may get a look in Roy Hodgson's squad sooner rather than later.
Seamus Coleman (Everton)
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Perhaps the best right-back in the Premier League in 2013 (Pablo Zabaleta may say otherwise) the swashbuckling Seamus Coleman has been outstanding thus far under the stewardship of Roberto Martinez this term.
Defensively, he's very solid, rarely found wanting by opposing wingers while he's long proven his durability and dependability in the Everton back line.
However, perhaps it is going forward where the Republic of Ireland international's real talent lies.
Always willing to offer an outlet down the right, he had netted four goals this season, but after just nine minutes, he netted his fifth with a quite stonking goal.
Powering down the right, he cut inside James Ward-Prowse before arrowing a bullet into the far top corner, leaving Kelvin Davis with absolutely no chance.
"My word. What a goal from Seamus Coleman. He is developing into one hell of a player.
— michael owen (@themichaelowen) December 29, 2013"
In yet another box-to-box performance from the full-back, he passed efficiently (completing 90 percent, via WhoScored.com), tackled well, and while Martinez rotated his squad, Coleman proved indefatigable.
Southampton's narrow midfield gave him room time and again, and he was simply outstanding.
Stevie May (St. Johnstone)
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Stevie May, the 21-year-old St. Johnstone striker, has enjoyed a breakthrough season in the Scottish Premier League, and this was his best weekend to date.
An under-21 international, he came to prominence on loan at Hamilton in the second tier last term, netting 25 goals in 33 appearances.
And May has kicked on back in the top flight with the Super J's, scoring 15 goals so far.
This weekend, in a clash with a makeshift Dundee United XI, May took full advantage with three goals.
His first came from the penalty spot, after he himself had been bundled over when clean through on goal after a well-timed run.
In the 58th minute, he fired home with blistering power from a tight angle, literally bursting the net.
And two minutes from time, May secured the match ball, meeting a low cross from Gwion Edwards to steer into the net and to push his side into the top six.
Mousa Dembele (Tottenham Hotspur)
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Handed the Man of the Match award by Spurs supporters for his role in their 3-0 win over Stoke on Sunday afternoon, the Belgian midfielder was at something approaching his best.
When he's on top of his game, Dembele is quite simply a beast, a central midfielder who combines wonderful balance, poise and an ability to explode past opponents, with a rugged physicality and a tenacious defensive ethic.
So far this season, perhaps he hasn't been at his best.
But back in Tim Sherwood's starting XI against the Potters, Dembele was quite simply wonderful.
Those driving runs through midfield were on show as he got the better of Stoke pair Steven N'Zonzi and Wilson Palacios, while his passing was quite simply outstanding, misplacing just two passes throughout the afternoon.
"Mousa Dembele's distribution against Stoke City (97%): pic.twitter.com/D9WNPIWBwB
— Premier League Owl (@premleagueowl) December 29, 2013"
And the former Fulham man netted himself his side's second goal, firing home after a layoff from Roberto Soldado.
WhoScored.com made him their highest-rated player with an 8.6 rating.
Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
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There has been no doubting the wonderful talent that Eden Hazard possesses ever since he broke into the Lille side under Rudi Garcia.
However, that which I find myself asking of the uber-talented Belgian is can he do more?
Can he score more goals? Make more goals? Be more consistent in picking the right option?
When he can, he may very well be viewed as one of the world's top five players.
And Sunday, in the Blues 2-1 win over Liverpool, Hazard showed that with added maturity, he is becoming a quite frightening footballer.
"Have to say, thought Eden Hazard was excellent today, key to Chelsea winning.
— Sachin Nakrani (@SachinNakrani) December 29, 2013"
The 22-year-old possesses such majestic gifts when he has the ball at the feet that there are very few who can rival him for the ability to bewitch opposing defences. And at Stamford Bridge, Hazard was terrific.
He took his goal, which drew Chelsea level, sensationally, arching the ball past Simon Mignolet in quite stunning fashion, but it was his overall game which really stood out.
He was clever in his movement, popping up all across the central and final third, dropping into pockets of space wherever he could find them.
His running with the ball was intelligent, whether carrying it to open up play for another or simply to relieve pressure on his defence, while some of his little flicks and touches oozed class.
Also, he defended diligently for Mourinho's side, and it was no surprise to see him named Man of the Match.
