Top 5 early contenders for PFA Player of the Year

The Premier League 2019-20 season has just over a dozen game-weeks to go till its eventual culmination in May. Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool have an unassailable lead over the rest of the pack and it looks like the Reds are finally going to get their hands on the Premier League trophy in almost thirty years.

The Premier League has been blessed with some high-profile performers and a few surprise packages this season, all of which we will discuss in the section below. Here, we rank the top 5 early contenders for the PFA Player of the Year award given to a Premier League player for his outstanding performances throughout the season.

#5 Trent Alexander-Arnold

The Liverpool right-back is only behind Kevin de Bruyne in terms of assists provided this season

A strong contender for the PFA Young Player of the Year award, Liverpool’s young right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold’s heroics this season have rightfully earned him a place among the Premier League’s big boys.

The 21-year-old has been a constant menace from Liverpool’s right-flank, providing a remarkable 9 assists in the Premier League so far. He also has 7 clean-sheets to his name. Add his brilliant efforts against Burnley and Leicester and you have yourself a right-back who can attack prolifically, defend efficiently, take set-pieces and score wonder goals. It would not be an understatement to say that the English international is the best right-back in the world right now.

Alexander-Arnold has also formed a magnificent partnership with left-back Andy Robertson, both of which are vitally important to Jurgen Klopp’s style of play. The full-backs are found marauding on both flanks, pressing the opponents and delivering cross after cross after cross. Whilst Robertson has 113 crosses to his name, Alexander-Arnold leads the pack with an incredible 232 deliveries inside the box, even ahead of Kevin de Bruyne.

It might be an incredible feat if a right-back goes onto win the Player of the Year award, but even if he does not, Trent Alexander-Arnold is definitely on top of the world right now.

#4 Jamie Vardy

Jamie Vardy is currently the top-scorer of the 2019/20 Premier League

Even at 33, Leicester City talisman Jamie Vardy is at the peak of his powers. The former English international is the Premier League’s top-scorer this season with 17 goals in 21 appearances, just behind Kevin De Bruyne in terms of goal contributions by a single player.

Vardy is on course to match his highest goal-tally of 24 Premier League goals which he managed in the historic 2015/16 season when Leicester City shocked the world to clinch the league title in what was one of the greatest sporting achievements of the 21st century.

The Foxes have since then finished mid-table in the league, but they have again come out as a force under Brendan Rodgers this term. Jamie Vardy has replicated his impeccable telepathy with Riyad Mahrez in the title-winning year with youngster James Maddison this season. Vardy’s trademark runs and emphatic finishing has been a constant sight during Leicester’s matches.

Both Vardy and Maddison have been in terrific form for Leicester City

However, they have had a recent slump in form following back-to-back defeats against in-form Southampton and Sean Dyche’s Burnley, but the inconsistency displayed by teams below them should comfortably keep them in one of the Champions League spots.

Vardy will hope to clinch the Golden Boot award but Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero, with six goals in the last three matches, is now hot on his heels. If Leicester are to finish as high as second this season, Jamie Vardy will have to keep firing on all cylinders.

#3 Virgil van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk is in contention for his second consecutive PFA Player of the Year award

Liverpool, in the early half of the Premier League season, resorted to their incredible mentality of scoring last-ditch winners after their defense had kept only two clean-sheets up until December. Since then, however, the Reds haven’t conceded a goal in seven straight Premier League games, which include trips to Leicester and Spurs, and home fixtures against Manchester United and Wolves. This remarkable defensive resurgence has everything to do with their principle centre-back Virgil van Dijk.

Fans and pundits around the world have run out of superlatives to describe the Dutchman’s influence on Jurgen Klopp’s team. Van Dijk was signed by the club in January 2018, and has since then shown the world his immense capability and unmatched mentality. He has been stalwart in the Liverpool defense, hardly putting a foot wrong in his two years at Anfield. He led the club to their first Champions League title in 14 years and is currently on course to bring home their first domestic championship of the Premier League era.

The Liverpool centre-back won the PFA Player of the Year award last season

Van Dijk’s £75 million price-tag was laughed at by many, but his leadership qualities, inch-perfect defending and clutch goalscoring has shut down all critics who doubted his move from Southampton. The 28-year-old centre-half already has four goals to his name in the Premier League this season, as many he had in the whole of last season. His opener against Manchester United recently was a testament to his strength in character.

Van Dijk was named as the PFA Player of the Year last season and who’s to say the Ballon D’or runner-up cannot go on and win the coveted award again?

#2 Sadio Mane

Sadio Mane has been Liverpool's most valuable player this season

Liverpool’s high-flying winger Sadio Mane is currently having the season of his life following his excellent showings week-in week-out for the Reds. The 27-year-old Senegalese attacker has 11 goals and 6 assists to his name and has been Jurgen Klopp’s best player by a mile this season.

Mane has constantly terrorised defenders with his strength and pace going forward, almost playing a direct or indirect hand in every goal Liverpool score. His match-winners against Wolves and Aston Villa and man-of-the-match performances versus Leicester and Everton have been quintessential in Liverpool’s unbeaten run so far.

Both Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah have also chipped in with several vital goals and assists, but it is Mane’s all-round display every game which makes him a serious contender for the PFA Player of the Year award.

Earlier this month, the AFCON finalist bagged his second consecutive CAF African Player of the Year award. The 2018-19 Champions League winner has transformed himself into a world-class and incredibly lethal forward, one who has turned heads across Europe.

Mane’s inclusion in the list just showcases how dominant Liverpool have been this season. The Merseysiders are on course to win their first title in thirty years, and if Mane keeps contributing more goals and assists on a regular basis, he will become a top candidate for the prestigious prize.

1. Kevin De Bruyne

De Bruyne has become the first player in PL history to provide 15+ assists in three different campaigns

Manchester City’s assist-master Kevin de Bruyne has taken this Premier League season by storm, single-handedly bailing out Pep Guardiola’s men on many occasions. The Belgian superstar currently has an incredible 15 assists to his name, along with 7 goals, which means that the 28-year-old has the most number of goal contributions by a single player this season.

The record for most number of assists in a single Premier League season is currently held by Arsenal’s legendary striker Thierry Henry (20). De Bruyne needs only five more assists in the next 14 games to match that feat, which was set back in the 2003-04 season. And nobody in their right mind will doubt his capability to set a new assists record come May.

De Bruyne’s remarkable double at the Emirates Stadium, his crucial strike against Chelsea at home and fantastic display against Leicester have been some of the highlights of what has been a phenomenal season so far for the former Wolfsburg man. He has created the most number of chances in the league (82) and is also joint-highest in terms of through balls provided (17).

De Bruyne won the Premier League Playmaker of the Year award last to last season

Guardiola and Manchester City have been incredibly unlucky with injuries this season, with key players like Leroy Sane, Aymeric Laporte, Sergio Aguero and Rodri all sidelined for significant portions at some point. De Bruyne himself was victim to a long-term knee injury last season which meant that he only featured 19 times in the league after a stellar 2017-18 season which saw him spearhead the Blues to a record-breaking 100-point season.

The attacking midfielder lost out to a red-hot Mohamed Salah for the Player of the Year award that season, however, he was rewarded with the Playmaker of the Season award for his unmatched tally of16 assists. De Bruyne has reinvigorated himself this season and could be on course to win that award again, but his incredible consistency could see him bag a first of many PFA Player of the Year awards.

Special Mentions

Sergio Aguero

Aguero has scored six goals in the last three Premier League games

Manchester City’s record goalscorer has recently entered the frame for the Golden Boot award, with the Argentine forward now only one goal behind Jamie Vardy on 16. Remarkably, he has started 8 less games than the English striker this season. A fit and in-form Aguero can definitely challenge the top five for the Player of the Year award, one which he hasn’t won in his eight and a half years at the club.

Danny Ings

Southampton’s revival in the second half of the Premier League season has to be credited to Danny Ings’ exploits in front of goal. Ralph Hassenhutl’s side have won five out of their last seven league games, including wins against Tottenham Hotspur and at Chelsea and the 27-year-old forward has been at the centre of it with 14 goals and one assist.

Raul Jimenez

Wolves’ talismanic striker Raul Jimenez has continued last season’s exemplary form with 10 goals and 6 assists in 23 matches this term. Nuno Espirito Santo’s men are currently 6th on the table, pretty much in contention for Europa League football. However, if the Mexican forward were to continue the regularity with which he’s scoring this season, they might even sniff Champions League football.

Mohamed Salah

Salah wildly celebrating his goal against rivals Manchester United recently

The 2017-18 PFA Player of the Year had a slow start to this season, but has sparked into life lately and stands at 16 goal contributions in 19 games, only one less than his counterpart Sadio Mane. Salah’s match-deciding performances could be key for Liverpool in their quest to clinch their much-anticipated Premier League trophy.