We shift our sights from Harry Kane to the unlikely prospect of a Spurs midfield double-act, while over on the other side of North London, Giroud’s antics are playing havoc with the Sanchez status quo.

At least Zlatan provides a constant, while Gameweek 20 provided further evidence that there’s still life remaining in former fantasy favourites Leighton Baines and Gylfi Sigurdsson.

Here’s the lesson’s learned from the final round of festive fixtures.

Sanchez is no longer Arsenal’s central figure…
Converted to Arsenal’s spearhead by Arsene Wenger, Alexis Sanchez has been re-modelled as Fantasy asset this season. The Chilean has reacted accordingly, producing 12 goals in his first 16 Gameweeks.

Meanwhile, Olivier Giroud appeared frozen out. Effective cameos aside, the Frenchman’s claims for a starting role seemed limited to domestic cups and perhaps the odd European excursion.

Then came the bitter defeat at the Etihad, an injury for Theo Walcott and the visit of West Brom.

These ingredients combined to convince Wenger to deliver on his promise: to hand Giroud his opportunity when the opponent sits deep, restricting the space to punish them with pace.

Giroud has taken his chance and now, three goals, two assists and three Gameweeks later, he looks firmly re-established in the role, leaving Sanchez to scurry the flanks.

The jury is out on whether it’s dampened his potential output. The statistics suggest the contrary but his Fantasy owners will be anxious.

We were settled on Sanchez’ new profile; comfortable that it could help to justify a hefty price tag.

But now Wenger and Giroud have changed that landscape.

It will take time to fully assess the impact, and it remains to be seen if a fit-again Walcott and new opponents can give Wenger reason to reconsider. But a-goal-a-game Giroud will not easily be overlooked.

Alli and Eriksen are killing Kane’s appeal….
Just as Harry Kane began building a convincing case to dislodge Diego Costa and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in our forward lines, both Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen have become game changers.

Their supremely effective double-act saw off Chelsea at White Hart Lane, excluded Kane from the points and ensured that the priorities of Fantasy Premier League managers switched to look their way.

One or both of the Spurs midfield assets are now edging towards “essential” status.

While it’s valid to consider that chasing points already lost is a fruitless exercise, similarly it is unwise to discount such devastating form.

Alli and Eriksen will doubtless both regress from the current scoring rates but, given their price point and the confidence in the Spurs camp following five straight victories, they remain alluring propositions.

Kane almost appeared to surrender striker duties to Alli against Chelsea, allowing the midfielder’s energy to take him into the box while Kane patrolled deep.

Meanwhile, Eriksen is a dominant creative force. When given time on the ball in open play or set-pieces, he looks set to guarantee assist returns and, with a potent threat from range, can deliver goals as a total package.

They add to a growing cast of options in midfield, either forcing us to continually consider swaps with form and fixture, or shift to a 3-5-2 to expand our options.

There’s no stopping Zlatan…
Nine goals in as many Gameweek starts, nothing, particularly not an offside flag, can seem to halt Ibrahimovic at this time.

Now matching Diego Costa for FPL returns, points per match and ownership, Zlatan may cost that bit extra, but it’s difficult to deny that he has an edge on the Chelsea man.

With penalties and free-kicks assigned, the Swede remains so central to Manchester United’s attacking ploys but, crucially, he continues to suggest that he has more explosive returns within his reach.

Costa has just one brace, while Ibrahimovic has three. Similarly, the United striker boasts five double-digit returns, while Costa has scored 12 points on three occasions.

Zlatan has found a level of consistency to rival Costa but promises bigger hauls in a side that, to this point, has no other source of suitable attacking cover.

Stanislas and Phillips can fund the big striker spend…
With Zlatan or Costa currently locking down one heavy-hitter slot, the clamour to acquire both or even look to Kane or Sergio Aguero is tempting money from our midfields – to this point the powerhouse of our squads.

With Adam Lallana, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen exploding points in recent weeks, and the likes of Sanchez and Hazard remaining menacing, it takes conviction to consider “going skinny” across the middle.

But at least in both Matt Phillips and Junior Stanislas, there is the talent to perhaps justify it.

Phillip’s has exceeded all expectations.

He showed glimpses of ability in a previous dalliance in the top flight with QPR but, under the wing of Tony Pulis, his true potential is being unlocked.

Now an assured provider of goals, both from open play and West Brom’s deadly set-pieces, Phillips has been a gift for those seeking to liberate funds.

Stanislas is a very similar prospect. A creator and key figure at dead-balls for Bournemouth, he can also provide a goal threat and, like Phillips, has the short-term fixtures to thrive.

…although Defoe has other ideas….
On the flipside, if you require a means to reduce spending in attack to opt for an increased midfield spend, then Jermain Defoe offers a convincing solution.

Two goals from the spot against Liverpool took him to 11 for the campaign to further the veteran’s stock as a prime value option.

While it’s likely that we will have to endure further lean spells such as the four-match goalless streak over Gameweeks 15-18, Defoe has proven he can deliver in the mid-term, rewarding those who have kept faith despite Sunderland’s struggles.

The speculation surrounding his future is somewhat troubling.

It would seem suicidal for the Wearsiders to let their prime asset slip away, surely consigning them to a hopeless relegation struggle.

But West Ham’s persistence indicates that the Black Cats may yet waver, and it remains to be seen if this impacts on Defoe over the coming weeks and beyond.

Crouch and Barnes can be the 3-5-2 makeweights…
Lower down in the price bracket, there are now two more solutions available for those looking to expand their midfield portfolio by reducing spend in attack.

While Victor Anichebe remains stricken by a hamstring, both Burnley’s Ashley Barnes and Stoke City’s Peter Crouch have emerged as viable replacements.

These are the most un-sexy signings imaginable: short-term solutions that seem almost laughable to consider but, in reality, the pair could be vital squad elements if they can enable the spend on a fluctuating cast of high-value midfield talent capable of exploding points.

Pep has us on edge…
Arriving in the Premier League with such a fanfare and with expectations heading through the roof, Fantasy Football managers were more than ready to back Pep Guardiola to extract devastating points returns from the likes of Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne.

That has simply not been the case.

Aguero has experienced a troublesome season, sprinkled with goals that convince and unforeseen discipline problems that have made us wince.

Meanwhile, De Bruyne has disappointed – starting the season on fire then fading out badly – he has struggled to live up to his lofty FPL price tag and has been swallowed up by a cast of more productive and cheaper alternatives.

The Guardiola effect has not delivered, while the manager himself has put us on edge with his inconsistent team selection and post-match interviews that suggest that all is not well in his world, or perhaps in the City camp.

The Baines ascent is timely…
Largely written off as a heavyweight option for our backlines, the initial 5.5 price tag allocated to Everton’s Leighton Baines seemed inflated and perhaps impossible to justify.

But recent events have seen a revival, and now we’re preparing a warm welcome for Baines’ return to our squads.

Confirming his spot-kick duties and chipping in with assists of high quality, the left-back has timed his form perfectly to coincide with a period of blossoming fixtures for the Toffees.

Siggy’s value won’t be lost on Clement…
While Fantasy managers give up on Gylfi Sigurdsson in their thousands, the Icelander will surely be embraced and cherished by the new man in charge at Swansea.

Paul Clement will need to build his side around Sigurdsson’s ability, harnessing the quality of his delivery and threat from range in order to drag the Welsh club free of relegation.

He is an undoubted gem among much mediocrity in the Swans ranks but, he has a talent powerful and influential enough to work for Clement.

Sigurdsson’s flirtation with our squads may be far from over; he has previously shown the ability to single-handedly inspire the ailing Swans and Clement will be doing all he can to extract that kind of form once again.