As we approach the business end of the domestic season, all eyes are drawn to the business ends of the league table: the leading pack and those in danger of the drop.

And whilst we typically look to the top for those spectacular moments from the teams that have produced consistently throughout the season, every team has players capable of producing pieces of magic when crunch time commences.

Here are some of the world’s rising superstars destined for a world-class career, but with work to do if they are to fall under the lamentable label of second tier football:

Pablo Fornals (Villarreal)

The 23-year-old playmaker has had a season illustrative of Villarreal’s so far, showing signs of talent and ability at stages but ultimately, as is representative by their league position, have been far below their expectation and capability.

The Spanish international has contributed just one goal (albeit a 40-yard screamer) and two assists in his 25 La Liga appearances this campaign, and having being dubbed as a replacement for Christian Eriksen, Santi Cazorla and Marek Hamsik amidst recent interest from Tottenham, Arsenal and Napoli respectively, Fornals, at the very least, needs to play his part in preventing the Yellow Submarine from sinking to the Spanish Segunda División.

Two points adrift with thirteen games left is a deficit far from insurmountable, but for the Spaniard, it is the future not only of the club, but his own progression domestically and internationally that weighs heavily on his shoulders, and with the equally talented Celta Vigo hovering one place above them, both teams will be looking to their best assets in times of desperation.

Maxi Gómez (Celta Vigo)

As aforementioned, rivalling Villarreal will be Celta Vigo led by Uruguayan talisman Maxi Gómez.

Gómez has been the silver lining in a rather cloudy season for the Sky Blues up until this point. However, when push comes to shove, they won’t be shy in confidence in their front pair’s ability to carry the team.

Since the start of the 2017/18 season, the 22-year-old and his strike partner, Iago Aspas, have made an incredible 74 goal contributions in La Liga, 78% of Celta’s total goals with Gómez alone contributing to 37%.

This season, Gomez has stood out once more, scoring nine and creating five (39% of Celta’s 36 La Liga goals).

Out of their league, some would say, but they will be reliant on star man Maxi once more if they are to avoid going out of the league.

Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham)

Dubbed to move on to bigger and better things after playing an instrumental role in Fulham’s 2016/17 promotion to the top flight, Sessegnon has found it difficult to replicate his 16-goal season as the Cottagers sit eight points below safety.

Although pundits nationwide never fail to mention it week in, week out, it is genuinely remarkable to think that Sessegnon is still only 18.

Subsequently, two goals and six assists in his debut Premier League season is by no means a record to be frowned upon, especially in a team that have achieved just four wins all season.

A second-flight return at the first time of asking looks imminent for the West Londoners, unsurprisingly however, interest from Tottenham and Manchester United amongst others means that Sessegnon’s pursuit of a lengthy Premier League and England career sits in no doubt whatsoever.

Benjamin Pavard (Stuttgart)

Similarly defensive minded to Sessegnon but with an arguably more illustrious career in the offing, FC Bayern-bound Benjamin Pavard has had quite the World Cup hangover after an outstanding showing in Russia.

A season of inconsistency thus far for the 22-year-old, both individually due to injury and as a team in which he has been deployed centrally in a 3-5-2 set up and at right-back in the alternative four back formation, Pavard will be relieved more than anything to join Bayern’s ranks this summer.

Stuttgart currently occupy the 16th Bundesliga spot, one that would result in a play-off against 2. Bundesliga’s third-placed finisher. However, with just three points between themselves and the very bottom, the league’s highest conceder of goals (51 in 23) and last season’s seventh-place are in serious danger of a second relegation in just four seasons.

Astonishingly, Stuttgart’s most recent season in the second tier prior to the 2016-17 campaign was in 1976-77. Can Pavard provide some much-needed Stuttgart stability before his move to help them steer clear of the worst spell in the club’s history?

Aleksandr Golovin & Gelson Martins (Monaco)

Villarreal, Celta, Fulham, Stuttgart; looking through the talent at their disposal, there isn’t any question that they are punching well below their weight this season.

None, however, can be compared to AS Monaco. Ligue 1 winners of 2016-17 and closest rivals to PSG since promotion in 2013, The Monégasques were once again in the talk for the title under Leonardo Jardim this summer.

Now 26 games in and a mere 43 points behind The Parisians, Jardim’s second spell of the season at Stade Louis II has sparked renewed life into a seemingly doomed Monaco side who are five points clear of the bottom three following three wins and a draw in the last four outings.

The January acquisition of 22-year-old Gelson Martins has been key to their recent success, the Portuguese winger has scored or assisted a goal in each of his four Ligue 1 appearances thus far (three goals, one assist) and has produced some previously non-existent creativity unrecognisable of a team overwhelmed with attacking talent.

One of the disappointing parties and another man who enjoyed an astonishing World Cup, Aleksandr Golovin has failed to hit the ground running since his move from Moscow.

Luckily for the Russian, who has scored and assisted just once in 18 appearances, Gelson Martins may well have single-handedly restored his and AS Monaco’s future as a top-flight club and a force to be reckoned with in Europe for years to come.