The PFA Player of the Year is the most prestigious award in English Football. It’s voted on by members of the PFA to decide the top player of the season in England. In accordance with previous years, we can expect the award to be announced in late April, along with the other PFA awards. Here are my top five candidates for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year.
5. Mohamed Salah
Sadio Mane might be just as deserving, but Salah has been outright more productive. And, after a menacing performance against Chelsea which included a thunderous strike from outside the box, he gets the nod here.
In spite of a six-match goal drought in the league, he’s still joint top-scorer with Agüero. Even when he’s not scoring, he contributes so much to Liverpool’s attack. If Salah has a quiet game, it’s most likely because defenders are so focused on him. This has freed up Mane, who’s having the best scoring season of his career.
According to many critics, he’s having a bad season. That’s because he’s being compared to his record-breaking season last year. Even if he’s not as good as last year, he’s still been one of the top performers in the league.
4. Sergio Agüero
The joint top-scorer in the league this season and seventh all-time leading scorer in EPL history is somehow, astonishingly underrated. His consistent greatness has been taken for granted, so he hasn’t earned the praise he deserves for how good he’s been.
Tidy dribbling, keen instincts, and deadly finishing have propelled Agüero to 19 goals and seven assists. However, simple production tallies alone don’t really show the intangibles that make Aguero one of the top performers of the season. He’s the epitome of a big-game player, scoring a ridiculous 10 goals in eight games against top-six sides this season.
His goals per match (0.73) is outstanding, and he’s been crucial in helping City pick up the most important points of the season. However, he’s only made 26 appearances. If he’d had more chances to perform at his best, he could easily be the frontrunner for this award.
3. Eden Hazard
Almost entirely because Chelsea hasn’t had a great season, Hazard has barely even been in the conversation for PFA POTY. However, if you’ve actually been paying attention, there’s no denying that Hazard has had yet another world-class season.
He’s already amassed 16 goals and 12 assists in 33 games; two more goals and three more assists in five fewer appearances than he had during his electric 2014-15 season. His individual play has been stellar, and he’s one of the few players in the world talented enough to single-handedly win games for his team. And, he’s done so on numerous occasions this season.
Even though he won’t be named the Player of the Year, he deserves recognition for another incredible season. It should be remembered that he’s probably still the best player in the league.
2. Raheem Sterling
Last season, Raheem Sterling probably wasn’t considered one of the top three performers on City, let alone the entire EPL. This year, however, he’s improved his productivity, scoring, and assisting while also elevating his overall play and solidifying himself as one of City’s most important players.
Sterling’s playmaking is as sharp as ever. All season long his speed and agility have helped drag opposition defenders around, as City play their incisive passes throughout the final third. Most impressively, though, is how much his finishing has improved. In the Premier League, so far he has 17 goals with only five big chances missed in 27 appearances, good for 0.63 goals per match. Compare that to his 0.55 goals per match with 12 big chances missed from 33 appearances last season.
As one of the most unfairly scrutinized players in the league, Raheem Sterling has shut critics up with a phenomenal season. However, it might not be quite enough to be named PFA POTY.
1. Virgil Van Dijk
No defender has won this award since John Terry in 2005. It’s easier for offensive players to show exactly how valuable they are to a team through quantifiable goals and assists. If a team is playing well, no defender should have to perform spectacularly. However, Virgil Van Dijk has made defending just as impressive and exciting as the best offensive performances.
With his 6’4” (193 cm) and 203 lbs (92 kg) frame and incredible athleticism, he’s bullied opposing players all season long. In the air, shoulder-to-shoulder, or in a foot race, Van Dijk has been utterly dominant against every single attacker he’s faced. Combine his ability to win any duel with a defensive IQ that has put him in exactly the right place at the right countless times, and you get the most reliable defender in the world.
Watching him this season, it’s easy to see why he’s had the biggest impact on his team of any player in the Premier League, and the results support that. Liverpool have the league-best defense with only 20 goals conceded so far, and they’re two points ahead of Manchester City with one more game played. Regardless of whether Liverpool clinch the title or finish a close second, there’s no denying that Virgil Van Dijk deserves to be the PFA Players’ Player of the Year.