LONDON – Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah and Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne were named among the eight nominees for the English Premier League’s Player of the Season award.
Salah is the league’s top scorer with 22 goals, while he also has 13 assists. De Bruyne is fourth on the goal-scoring list with 15 and the Belgian international has seven assists.
Salah, who won Player of the Season in 2017-18 off the back of his 32-goal league campaign, is a strong contender to win for the second time.
Salah’s biggest competition is likely to be Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian is consistently one of the best midfielders in the world and he’ll be hoping to win the award.
Both Salah and De Bruyne have won the award before, in the 2017-18 and 2019-20 seasons respectively.
Salah has claimed he is ‘the best’ in his position and insisted that he beats his rivals in the stats.
The Egyptian forward has just been named 2022 FWA Footballer of the Year after another impressive season for Jurgen Klopp’s side.
“If you compare me with any player in my position, not only in my team but in the world, you will find that I am the best,” Salah told beIN SPORTS, via Goal.
“I always focus on my work and do my best and my numbers are the best proof of my words.
The two favourites are joined by Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, City’s Joao Cancelo, West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min and Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse.
City defender Ruben Dias won the award last season.
Sadio Mane and Cristiano Ronaldo are among the notable absentees from the Player of the Season shortlist.
Mane and Ronaldo are not in contention for the award despite enjoying superb seasons for Liverpool and Manchester United, respectively.
Mane has scored 15 goals in 33 league appearances as the Anfield club bid for an unprecedented quadruple.
Ronaldo has been a shining light in United’s dismal season with 18 goals in 30 league matches, while he has also twice been named as the Premier League’s player of the month.
Fans have until Monday to cast their vote for their 2021-22 player of the season. These will be combined with those of the 20 club captains and a panel of football experts to decide the winner.
Salah team-mate Alexander-Arnold has made the shortlist after another fantastic campaign for Klopp’s men. The 23-year-old has 12 assists and two goals in the league with two games of the season remaining.
Son is second behind Salah on the goalscoring charts having found the net on 22 occasions for Spurs, who are chasing a top-four finish.
The South Korean is hoping to become the first Tottenham player to land the yearly award since Gareth Bale achieved the feat in 2013.
Bowen has enjoyed a standout campaign for West Ham, who reached the semi-finals of the Europa League, and his league form has attracted the attention of several top clubs.
The 25-year-old has been a mainstay of David Moyes’ team and is only the second West Ham player to reach double figures for both goals and assists in a Premier League season, scoring 10 and setting up 10 to emulate Paolo Di Canio.
Saka has led the charge for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal as they target a place in the Champions League, with the young English talent amassing 11 goals and six assists.
Saints captain James Ward-Prowse has caught the eye with his performances – and not just for his trademark set-piece ability. Four of his nine goals have come from direct free-kicks, leading Guardiola to describe him as one of the best takers he had ever seen.
Completing the shortlist is Cancelo, the marauding right-back who has played the most minutes of any of their outfield players.
The Portuguese has completed the most passes in the division, scoring or assisting eight goals.
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