Arsenal would be hovering above relegation zone without Alexis Sanchez while Manchester City would be eighth without Sergio Aguero... but Chelsea would still be top even if they didn't have Diego Costa

Both Sergio Aguero and Alexis Sanchez (right) have been key for their teams this season

Aguero has scored 45 per cent of Manchester City’s goals in the Premier League this season. Sanchez’s strikes account for 41 per cent of Arsenal’s total.

Each forward has directly won nine points through their contributions so far (goals and assists) – and are single-handedly raising their clubs up the division, as these tables show.

HOW THE PREMIER LEAGUE WOULD LOOK WITHOUT ALEXIS SANCHEZ

Without Sanchez	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts	Difference
Chelsea	14	11	3	0	33	11	22	36	0
Manchester City	14	10	2	2	31	13	18	32	2
Southampton	14	8	3	3	24	9	15	27	1
Manchester United	14	7	4	3	24	16	8	25	0
West Ham United	14	7	3	4	23	17	6	24	0
Swansea City	14	6	4	4	19	13	6	22	0
Liverpool	14	6	2	6	19	19	0	20	0
Newcastle United	14	5	5	4	15	17	-2	20	0
Tottenham Hotspur	14	6	2	6	18	21	-3	20	0
Everton	14	4	6	4	24	22	2	18	0
Aston Villa	14	4	4	6	8	18	-10	16	0
Stoke City	14	4	3	7	14	18	-4	15	0
Sunderland	14	2	9	3	13	21	-8	15	1
Arsenal	14	3	5	6	11	15	-4	14	-9
Crystal Palace	14	3	5	6	18	22	-4	14	1
Hull City	14	3	5	6	15	19	-4	14	2
West Bromwich Albion	14	3	4	7	14	20	-6	13	0
Leicester City	14	3	3	8	14	23	-9	12	2
Burnley	14	2	6	6	10	20	-10	12	0
Queens Park Rangers	14	3	2	9	14	27	-13	11	0

City slump six places to eighth with Aguero out of the equation. Erase him from Manuel Pellegrini’s selections and there would be no four-goal demolition of Tottenham translating a defeat to victory, no winner against Manchester United, no rescue mission at Queens Park Rangers.

Arsenal plummet even further minus Sanchez – eight places to 14th. As much as his tenacity and technique are a joy to behold, his empirical importance is what Arsene Wenger will value. He has salvaged draws from defeats against Leicester, Manchester City, and Hull – won the game at Sunderland and set his side on the path to late victory over Burnley. 

Sergio Aguero scored twice for Manchester City against Sunderland on Wednesday night 

HOW THE PREMIER LEAGUE WOULD LOOK WITHOUT SERGIO AGUERO 

Without Aguero	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts	Difference
Chelsea	14	11	3	0	33	11	22	36	0
Southampton	14	8	2	4	24	8	16	26	0
Manchester United	14	7	5	2	24	15	9	26	1
Arsenal	14	7	4	3	22	14	8	25	2
West Ham United	14	7	3	4	23	17	6	24	0
Tottenham Hotspur	14	7	2	5	18	17	1	23	3
Swansea City	14	6	4	4	19	14	5	22	0
Manchester City	14	6	3	5	14	14	0	21	-9
Liverpool	14	6	2	6	19	18	1	20	0
Newcastle United	14	5	5	4	15	16	-1	20	0
Everton	14	4	6	4	24	22	2	18	0
Aston Villa	14	4	4	6	8	17	-9	16	0
Stoke City	14	4	3	7	14	18	-4	15	0
Sunderland	14	2	9	3	13	20	-7	15	1
Crystal Palace	14	3	4	7	18	23	-5	13	0
West Bromwich Albion	14	3	4	7	14	20	-6	13	0
Queens Park Rangers	14	4	1	9	14	25	-11	13	2
Hull City	14	2	6	6	15	20	-5	12	0
Burnley	14	2	6	6	10	22	-12	12	0
Leicester City	14	2	4	8	14	24	-10	10	0

Aguero’s qualities are well-established – it is more than two years since Aguerooooo won the title for City – but his level right now, at 26, is approaching the heights climbed only by the best this country has seen. For impact and ingenuity, he is matching the likes of Luis Suarez, Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Sanchez has taken to English football with an ease that is not necessarily guaranteed by a large transfer cheque. Aged 25, he is still on an upward curve, making his £30million fee last summer appear ever more a bargain as each defining goal hits the back of the net.

Even after only 14 Premier League games, it is clear the final finishing positions of City and Arsenal will be determined by the form and fitness of two men measuring 5ft 8in and 5ft 7in. Size doesn’t matter, goals do. 

Sanchez scores Arsenal's winner against Southampton at the end to secure all three points

Sanchez celebrates as he netted his ninth goal of the season