The football season is well and truly underway now with the table more than taking shape and form patterns establishing but, as in the real world, the period from now up until the New Year can be a defining month for your side with so many points up for grabs.

Whether your aspirations are cementing your place at the top, breaking into the top four or even just battling to get your head above the relegation zone then the below tips will see you through.

Say hurrah to Tammy

Frank Lampard has been an almost instant hit since jetting into Stamford Bridge and England striker Tammy Abraham has been a key component of their good form having contributed 11 goals and three assists. So why is now the time to get shot of him?

Well firstly, the key to fantasy football is about getting in as a player hits their hot streak and bailing before the dip and we think Abraham’s drop off could be on the horizon. He’s still a youngster, for one thing, and it would be a huge ask for him to replicate his form up to now for too much longer – especially, given he’s been out with a knock – and that’s also true of the players around him so the whole side could suffer a little tail off.

A shaky defence and King Kev

Manchester City are trailing league leaders Liverpool by what, to some, looks like an insurmountable margin. Pep Guardiola’s men have looked untouchable over the past two seasons but the loss of long serving captain Vincent Kompany combined with the injury suffered by Aymeric Laporte mean City have a vulnerability about them.

Teams who face City now set up knowing they can get at the Champions’ backline, which means if they keep it tight at the other end then they can take points. They’ve failed to keep a clean sheet in their last eight games across all competitions so you might want to keep away from any City defenders.

Regardless of teams lining up with a defensive, counter attacking mentality though you still fancy the Citizens to find a way through; Kevin de Bruyne is the key player in those scenarios with a range of passing that would rival that of a NFL Super Bowl winning quarterback. No matter how tight a match is you fancy – or even expect – the Belgian to conjure up some magic either in terms of providing a defence splitting pass or thumping home an unstoppable strike himself.

So far this season De Bruyne has averaged 2.7 shots per game that have yielded four goals and he’s central to a lot of the teams’ creativity with nine assists to his name as well as creating at least one clear chance per game for his teammates.

Jose’s Spurs Dele-ightful

A few weeks ago, it would have been a mammoth call to load your team with Spurs players but now Jose Mourinho is at the helm it looks a wise move to get them in. He’s already motivated Dele Alli enough to rediscover his form of old; the ex-MK Dons man has now scored three and assisted two in just three games. Another player who has stood out under Mourinho is Son Heung-min.

Son has been singled out for praise by his new boss after winning a record breaking third Asian player of the year award and the midfield duo, along with obvious choice Harry Kane, have all the ability in the world and they’re all ‘Mourinho players’ in the sense that they have physical attributes, technical quality and work hard in both directions. If their gaffer can continue to keep them on their upward trajectory then the sky is the limit for what they, as individuals and a team, might achieve.

There you have it, three key things to consider as the busiest period of the season gets underway. Wait to make your move and you might live to regret not acting more swiftly.