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For two consecutive years, Kevin de Bruyne, thanks to his Premier League exploits, has won the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Player of the Year (POTY) award. It's easy to see why. His consistent brilliance captured the hearts of Manchester City fans, as well as opposition fans. Even opposition players felt the same way.
While City's dominance of the Premier League has been engineered by Pep Guardiola, De Bruyne has run the gears for the Cityzens.
In earlier years, Liverpool stars Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah won the PFA POTY award, and rightly so. Van Dijk was the rock in the Reds' defense in 2018-19 season of the Premier League, while Salah was the best attacking player in the league in 2017-18.
Players like Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo have managed two consecutive wins each, just like De Bruyne. However, with the season the Belgian international has had, he could be the first player to win the PFA POTY award three consecutive times.
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It won't be an easy win for De Bruyne, however, even if Manchester City do win the Premier League. Competition remains very strong, with other players showing top form and unbridled brilliance this season.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five potential winners for the PFA POTY 2022 award.
#5 Harry Kane | Tottenham Hostpur
This hasn't been Harry Kane's best season by any standard. The star crossed 17 EPL goals per season for seven straight seasons, hitting the 20-goal mark five times, and hitting the 30-goal mark once.
This season, however, he has managed just 12 goals for Tottenham in the league. There's still a chance that, with eight games still remaining in the season, Kane will reach his 17-goal mark.
Kane started the season off in horrible form, unable to find the net in the Premier League until mid-October. His second Premier League goal came in December against Liverpool, meaning that the star went half the season with just two EPL goals.
However, he has found blistering form since the turn of the year, scoring goals in consecutive games. In his last 10 EPL games, Kane has scored seven goals, making him one of the most in-form strikers in the league right now. But winning the PFA POTY award is not going to be easy.
#4 Trent Alexander-Arnold | Liverpool
At just 23 years of age, Trent Alexander-Arnold already has a cemented spot in Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool side. The brilliant full-back is highly notable for his passing and set-piece skills, and he could arguably beat most midfielders with his passing accuracy and range. Alexander-Arnold was key in ending Liverpool's 30-year Premier League title drought in 2020, and he has continued in great form this season.
This Premier League campaign, he has scored two goals in 26 games. But his playmaking contributions in the final third really mark Alexander-Arnold's brilliance. So far, the England international has picked up 11 assists, while averaging three key passes per game. He won the PFA POTY award back in 2020, and now, at the age of 23, he has a good chance of winning the PFA POTY.
#3 Bernardo Silva | Manchester City
That Manchester United have two players on this list speaks of the sheer dominance of Pep Guardiola and the Cityzens in Premier League. Bernardo Silva has been highly instrumental in City's season, and he is a good reason they're currently consolidating their position at the top of the table.
One of the most versatile players on this list, Bernando Silva has played in nearly every part of the final third and midfield for City this season.
Although he is a utility player, capable of slotting into nearly any non-defensive position, Silva's quality has improved dramatically this season. In 28 EPL games, the Portugal international has scored seven goals and assisted in two.
In his last 10 games in all competitions, the 27-year-old has managed two goals and two assists from different positions on the field. If any player has a serious chance of challenging for this year's PFA POTY award, it is Bernardo Silva.
#2 Kevin de Bruyne | Manchester City
The Belgium international will be looking to hold onto his crown, but this time around, it might be a little difficult. Having won the PFA POTY award twice already, a third win would cement Kevin de Bruyne's name in the historic annals of the Premier League. However, he will have to contend with Bernardo Silva and other players who have kept up sublime showings this season.
With nine EPL goals and three assists in 22 games for the Cityzens, the star has been an unstoppable force in the league. His last ten games in all competitions has seen de Bruyne garner five goals and five assists, and he arguably could not be more perfect.
Kevin de Bruyne is seen as a complete player, and his accurate but powerful goals are going to help his chances at picking up this award for the third consecutive time.
#1 Mohamed Salah | Liverpool
Yet another player from Liverpool on this list only goes to show how close Jurgen Klopp and his men are to breaking Manchester City's hegemony in the EPL. An instrumental player for the Reds in doing so has been Mohamed Salah.
The Egyptian maestro has been winning all the accolades for his brilliance and skill. Arguably, one of the most in-form players in all of Europe, Salah's presence in the final third is a threat to any team the Reds face.
After just 27 EPL games this season, the diminutive maestro has scored 20 goals and assisted his team with 10. His last five EPL games have seen the star score four goals and provide one assist, and such high numbers have followed Salah through the season.
He may not reach his 32-goal mark with which he stunned the Premier League in 2017-18. But with a few games left in this campaign, he could well hit the 25-goal mark. If anyone can keep De Bruyne away from a third consecutive PFA POTY award, it is Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah.
