Sign up to the Independent's betting newsletter for the latest tips and offers Sign up to the Independent's betting newsletter
Yes, yes... I know and I'm sorry.
It's been a whole month since we last brought you the Power Rankings and there are precious few excuses left.
I was ill and then suffered an injury playing football. Then it was Christmas and New Year.
The last time I checked dogs can't usually eat web pages, but my one managed to (liar!)
Anyway, here goes, in case you forgot our terms.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE RANKINGS
We all know who the best players are but defining those with the power to shape events in the Premier League is not so simple - so we've created The Independent's Premier League Power Rankings.
Ahead of every round of fixtures in the top-flight our team of experts get together to define the 17 players who hold the power.
Rather than being based on who the best or most talented footballers are, it's defined by current form, league position, next fixture and any other factors which could influence events.
Players move up and down the rankings, battling to be number one. Some will drop out and new entries will emerge. You might not agree (in which case let us know why) - but that's half the fun.
These are the 17 most important players in the Premier League right now...
Show all 17 1 /17Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 17) Petr Cech (Arsenal) It must make it that much harder for Chelsea fans to not only see their team struggling in the bottom half while Arsenal are top of the table, but to see one of their greatest players having a magnificent season for the Gunners. Thibaut Courtois obviously has the bigger future but for the immediate present Cech is better - and his influence in the dressing room, always underrated, has also been a part of Chelsea's decline and Arsenal's ascent. No wonder Jose Mourinho was so desperate to sell him to anyone but the gunners
Last Fixture: D - 0-0 - Stoke City
Next Fixture: Chelsea (h)
Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 16) Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur) After his early season struggles Harry Kane is back among the very top tier of Premier League strikers. Sunderland had no clue how to handle the England man last week and he was superb in the FA Cup at Leicester. Palace have struggled to keep clean sheets in recent weeks and Spurs' main man will travel to Selhurst in high anticipation.
Last Fixture: W - 4-1 - Sunderland
Next Fixture: Crystal Palace (a)
2016 Getty Images
Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 15) Dmitri Payet (West Ham United) It's no shock that West Ham endured their toughest spell while the brilliant Payet was out of the side with injury. During his absence the Hammers won just one of their seven matches but since he's returned they have won three and lost one (at Newcastle last week). West Ham have been the Premier League's giant killers and already have a City scalp this season - a 2-1 win in which Payet was the star - he'll need to have a similar impact on Saturday.
Last Fixture: L - 2-1 - Newcastle
Next Fixture: Man City (h)
2016 Getty Images
Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 14) Jack Butland (Stoke City) Euro 2016 will probably come just a little bit too soon for Jack Butland, 22, especially with Joe Hart in his prime and playing very well. But if he continues the kind of performances he has this season, England will have a very nice goalkeeping dilemma for the next half a dozen years, at least. He was the only reason Arsenal didn't win at the Britannia last week.
Last Fixture: D - 0-0 - Arsenal
Next Fixture: Leicester (a)
Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 13) Benik Afobe (Bournemouth) The £10m signing from Wolves looked terribly nervous in his first outing for the Cherries, squandering a couple of really good chances against West Ham. However, he looked like a different player against a porous Norwich defence and scored his first Premier League goal with good movement and a calm finish after some nice build-up play. More of that needed against another poor defence at the Stadium of Light.
Last Fixture: W - 3-0 - Norwich
Next Fixture: Sunderland (a)
Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 12) Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle United) Talk about starting off with a bang. Many believed £12m was too high a price to pay for Shelvey but he showed he has more than enough quality in his locker to justify that fee - if he can stay in the right frame of mind. Shelvey, always willing to take a risk with his passing, had a hand in both Newcastle goals on a superb afternoon. Another winnable game coming up against a Hornets side out of form.
Last Fixture: W - 2-1 - West Ham
Next Fixture: Watford (a)
2016 Getty Images
Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 11) David Silva (Manchester City) Up to eight assists for the season after another masterful performance as City tore through Crystal Palace (with the help of some dodgy goalkeeping). Silva added a goal - he probably doesn't get enough of those - but a tough test lies at West Ham. With Vincent Kompany still out Silva and Sergio Aguero take on even more important roles, when both are fit and engaged City are still the most dangerous team in the division.
Last Fixture: W - 4-0 - Crystal Palace
Next Fixture: West Ham (a)
2016 Getty Images
Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 10) Victor Wanyama (Southampton) Southampton continue their inconsistent season that has seen them put in performances that have ranged from diabolical to thrilling. They travel to Old Trafford to face a Manchester United team just starting to edge towards their best. The Kenyan midfield enforcer likely faces former team-mate Morgan Schneiderlin and will be key if United are to be upset at home again.
Last Fixture: W - 3-0 - West Brom
Next Fixture: Man United (a)
2016 Getty Images
Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 9) Mark Bunn (Aston Villa) Is Mark Bunn Villa's secret weapon? Was Brad Guzan really that much worse than most thought? We don't know, but what we do know is that Bunn has played four matches this season (two cup, two league) and Villa are unbeaten in all of them, including picking up those crucial four points that just about gives them the smallest of chances at the bottom of the table. Away at The Hawthorns is hardly an easy task but Villa have to keep on getting positive results.
Last Fixture: D - 1-1 - Leicester
Next Fixture: West Brom (a)
2016 Getty Images
Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 8) Romelu Lukaku (Everton) He didn't get on the scoresheet at Stamford Bridge, but the Belgian showed Chelsea what they were missing. He held the ball up well as a lone striker and showed his pace and strength to battle John Terry and Kurt Zouma. One of the best in the division, it's little surprise he's said to be valued at £65m.
Last Fixture: D - 3-3 - Chelsea
Next Fixture: Swansea (h)
Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 7) Odion Ighalo (Watford) It's quietly starting to go quite wrong for Watford, who are now without a win in five including four defeats in a row that have seen them score just twice. Ighalo has not scored in 2016 but the more worrying trend is the lack of chances being created - opposition managers clearly realise the danger he and Troy Deeney can possess and are more inclined to shut up shop against them. Newcastle are hardly the best defensively, so it could be time for the Nigerian to end his drought.
Last Fixture: L - 1-0 - Swansea
Next Fixture: Newcastle (h)
Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 6) Yannick Bolasie (Crystal Palace) Crystal Palace last won on 19 December. Yannick Bolasie last played on 19 December. That's not a coincidence. The Congolese winger is the Eagles' x-factor, without him Alan Pardew's side has looked pedestrian and predictable, unable to create or take chances. He is pencilled in to return this weekend and Pardew will be desperate for Bolasie to play against a high-flying Tottenham team.
Last Fixture: L - 4-0 - Man City
Next Fixture: Tottenham (h)
2015 Getty Images
Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 5) Jermain Defoe (Sunderland) Jermain Defoe has proved he is still a quite capable Premier League goalscorer with nine this season, they have come in bunches but it's not bad on a team stuck in the relegation mire. The problem for the Black Cats and Sam Allardyce is that the rest of the squad has precious few players of Premier League quality. They absolutely must beat Bournemouth on Saturday.
Last Fixture: L - 4-1 - Tottenham
Next Fixture: Bournemouth (h)
2016 Getty Images
Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 4) Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) Another game goes by without Jamie Vardy scoring as Leicester's surprise title charge begins to run out of steam. It's six Premier League games without the record breaker finding the target, he last did it on 14 December in the game that sealed Jose Mourinho's fate as Chelsea manager. The Foxes have just one win in five and will need to beat Stoke to prove they weren't just an Autumn wonder.
Last Fixture: D - 1-1 - Aston Villa
Next Fixture: Stoke (h)
Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 3) Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) Wayne Rooney has these spells, it's happened throughout his career. Just when people are writing him off, calling him finished, he'll return to his match-winning best. Five goals in four games have seen Manchester United pick up seven points from nine and advance in the FA Cup - even more impressive is the face that Rooney scored the crucial goal in three of the four games, and added an assist at St James' Park. He's on fire.
Last Fixture: W - 1-0 - Liverpool
Next Fixture: Southampton (h)
2016 Getty Images
Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 2) Mesut Ozil (Arsenal) The German probably should be top, he has easily been the stand out Premier League player this season, but he wasn't at his best in the draw with Liverpool before missing the trip to Stoke. Ozil should surely be relishing going up against a Chelsea team that has consistently been exposed and is full of holes.
Last Fixture: D - 0-0 - Stoke City
Next Fixture: Chelsea (h)
2016 Getty Images
Premier League Power Rankings Week 23 1) John Terry (Chelsea) Terry finds himself not just because his (offside) heroics (coming after a comical own goal) against Everton last week, but because the Chelsea captain finds himself with a major task trying to stop the best team in the Premier League this season. Since Guus Hiddink took over the Blues are unbeaten but have only won two of six in the league - that's not nearly enough if they are serious about qualification. Chelsea'sdefence remains leaky and they face an Arsenal team playing outstanding football. The former England captain needs to turn back time to have a chance of stopping the Gunners.
Last Fixture: D - 3-3 - Everton
Next Fixture: Arsenal (a)
Disagree? Let us know in the comments section
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies