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The 2019-20 Premier League season has seen Liverpool dominate proceedings, with several of their star players standing out. The Reds sit 25 points clear at the top of the league table with nine matches to go, knowing only two victories will guarantee the Reds the title.Despite the season being suspended indefinitely due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it is looking more and more likely that it will not be declared null and void, leaving Liverpool free to win the league upon return to action.
In fact, Liverpool have only dropped points in two games this season, a draw and a loss to Manchester United and Watford, respectively. Plenty of Liverpool players have been singled out for praise this year, namely Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Henderson, Sadio Mane, Alisson, Mo Salah, Andrew Robertson and Giorginio Wijnaldum.
Having only lost two league games over the last two seasons, the contenders for the Premier League Player of the Season award are primarily made up of players from the Anfield-based club.
Liverpool have conceded the fewest goals in the league over the last two seasons as well, showcasing the sheer consistency of the team right now.
Many Premier League teams have underperformed this season and, as a result, not many non-Liverpool players are considered to be in the running for the Premier League Player of the Season gong. However, there is one non-Liverpool player who does stand out and is deservedly in the running to pick up the individual award.
So, let's take a look at the four main contenders to wrestle the award off last season's winner, Liverpool and Netherlands defender Virgil Van Dijk.
#1. Sadio Mane
Appearances: 26
Goals: 14
Assists: 7
Sadio Mane has been in scintillating form this season, scoring countless key goals for Liverpool and providing the team with a direct route to goal with his incredible pace and trickery.
The impressive thing about Mane is his ability to come good when it really matters. He netted a last-minute winner against Aston Villa and also notched up a goal against title rivals Manchester City to all but confirm a Liverpool victory.
Firmino and Salah have both experienced inconsistent seasons and the pressure has often been on Mane to come up with a moment of magic.
Mane has thrived under pressure this year and has been a key driving force behind Liverpool’s relentless title charge. The 27 year-old’s direct style of play has often provided Liverpool with a different dimension this season and has proven to be a constant goal threat for the Reds.
#2. Jordan Henderson
Appearances: 25
Goals: 3
Assists: 5
Jordan Henderson has been pivotal to Liverpool’s dominance this year and, although his goal contribution does not match up to the rest of the candidates, Henderson’s input has been equally as important, if not more so.
Stationed on the right side of Liverpool’s midfield, Henderson has largely been taking on a box-to-box role this season and has been the key to keeping the balance in this Liverpool team.
Henderson has also filled in at the base of Liverpool’s midfield in Fabinho’s absence in the back end of 2019, showcasing his versatility and professionalism.
The 29-year-old has been particularly impressive in terms of defensive contribution, often snapping into challenges and making countless interceptions to ease the pressure on the Liverpool defence and set Liverpool on their way in attack.
Henderson has been incredibly effective at forcing turnovers, contributing to Liverpool’s impressive average of 59% possession this season.
His attacking output has also improved, contributing to 8 league goals this season. His range of passing has been incredibly effective, often creating chances from deep and putting pressure on the opposition defence.
#3. Trent Alexander-Arnold
Appearances: 29
Goals: 2
Assists: 12
Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to beat his own record of providing most assists in a Premier League season by a defender (12) this season, matching his tally from last season with nine games to go.
The full-back has been a key outlet for the Reds this season, with his passing ability among the best in world football.
The-21-year old has created a huge number of chances for his teammates and is second only to Kevin De Bruyne in the league in terms of number of assists (16).
His range of passing has also been impressive, often spraying cross-field balls towards the left flank, dragging the opposition defence out of position and creating space for his attacking teammates to exploit.
The Scouse youngster has also seen the defensive side of his game improve and has been part of a defence which has had the best defensive record in each of the last two seasons.
#4. Kevin De Bruyne
Appearances: 26
Goals: 8
Assists: 16
Kevin De Bruyne has been consistently world class over the last three seasons, yet he has never won the player-of-the-season award.
Averaging almost a goal contribution per game, De Bruyne is instrumental to Manchester City’s attacking style and is at the heart of City’s impressive offensive record over the course of the season.
His passing ability is arguably unrivalled by any player in world football and has provided serious ammunition for City’s star attackers.
De Bruyne is also a potent goal threat, scoring some incredible goals from range, including his memorable strike at Newcastle earlier in the season.
The 28-year-old is now considered among the best midfielders in the world, if not one of the best players in the world, and has enjoyed yet another productive campaign in the Man City engine room.
Kevin De Bruyne's performance against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in February, to turn the game on its head, is a prime example of the high level that the Belgian international is now performing at.
So, who is the favourite?
Currently, Jordan Henderson seems set to be named the Premier League Player of the Year because of his inspirational leadership that transcends mere numbers. However, there is still a quarter of the season left to play and there is plenty of time for this to change.
Given Liverpool’s dominance this season, it seems likely that a Liverpool player will be handed the award as they close in on the title.
However, all four contenders have had a strong season and, with a quarter of the season left to play, any of these players can still make a stronger case for winning the award.
We will hopefully mean we get to see all 92 of the remaining games played, albeit, maybe behind closed doors, and we can name a Premier League Player of the Season based on the season as a whole, and not just the first three-quarters of the campaign.
However, the most important thing is people's safety and so, the Premier League season should not be restarted until it is completely safe to do so.
If you have any thoughts or simply want to state your choice for the Premier League Player of the Year award, then please feel free to leave a comment below.
