With just over two weeks left in the current Premier League season, the race for the title and other qualifications spots in heating up.
Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur are the two clubs at the top of the table fighting for the league title and have deservedly been the two best teams in the tournament.
Both Pochettino and Ranieri have had their team play their own brand of football and the success that the teams have tasted will be down not only to the manager but also to the players in the squads.
So there is no surprise that these clubs dominated the PFA player of the year awards.
PFA Player of the Year-
Leicester City’s unsung hero Jamie Vardy missed out on the player of the year award as his team-mate Riyad Mahrez, who has been in exceptional form this season picked up the honors.
Vardy was the runner-up for the PFA player of the year award while Harry Kane came in third.
Mahrez he dedicated his award to his late father during the ceremony. He takes over the award from Eden Hazard who won it last time around.
PFA Young Player of the Year-
The young player of the year award is given to stars under the age of 23. Last year, Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane ran away with this award with a sizzling season and this year the Spurs have once against bagged it.
England international and in-form star mid-fielder Dele Alli was largely tipped off as the best player in the Premier League this season and has deservedly won the PFA Young player of the Year award this season.
He has provided Tottenham with some memorable moments this season and will be hoping to go on help his team to the top of the table and also break into Roy Hodgson’s England national team.
Women’s Player of the Year-
Runners up in the Women’s Super League season, Manchester City bagged this award for the Women’s player of the Year.
Izzy Christiansen who scored 6 goals in the last 7 games was given the award after she took her team to a runners up finish this season.
Women’s Young Player of the Season –
The top scorer of the Women’s Super League with 12 goals in 14 games, Beth Mead, has been in sublime form and arguably has been the player in the league this season.
At just 20 years of age, the Sunderland striker has already come to be known as one of the best in the business and has bagged the PFA young player of the Year award for this season.
Merit Award-
Last year, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard shared the honors for this award but this season, Louis van Gaal’s second fiddle ran away with the award.
Ryan Giggs, who won the PFA player of the year award in the past was awarded for his services to the world of football.
Special Award –
The fairy tale that is Jamie Vardy is ever so close to the Premier League title this season and his troubles have not gone un-noticed by the PFA.
The England international, who broke Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record after scoring in 11 consecutive league games was awarded a special plate.
The plate recognised his record-breaking 11 match scoring streak and features the badges of the clubs he scored against, along with the Foxes’ crest.
Premier League ‘Team of the Year’ –
With Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur dominating the season, it comes as no surprise that the PFA team of the year is completely dominated by stars from either side.
As many as 8 players in the Team of the year are from these two clubs while Arsenal, West Ham, and United have a player each in the team.
Liverpool, Chelsea and City stars have not found a single place in the line-up. Here is the PFA team of the year:
David de Gea (Manchester United);
Hector Bellerin (Arsenal), Wes Morgan (Leicester City), Toby Alderweireld (Tottenham Hotspur), Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur);
Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City), Dele Alli (Tottenham Hotspur), N Golo’Kante (Leicester City), Dimitri Payet (West Ham United);
Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur); Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
