PFA Player of the Year: Who Should Win?

PFA Player of the Year Nominees

With this year’s list of PFA Player of the Year out, the competition could not have been better with veterans including Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexis Sanchez battling it out with four of the most prolific players in the league at the moment including Harry Kane, Eden Hazard, N’Golo Kante and Romelu Lukaku. However, along with these names a few eyebrows were also raised as to why Dele Alli was omitted from the Top 6 Shortlist this season. As for now, Alli will have to settle for the Young Player of the Year nominee.

Kante and Hazard will be in for a showdown of their own

Not straying from as to Who Should Win the Award this season, it’ll be a nail biting encounter between the chosen six of England. With two short nominations coming from the league leaders, it was no surprise that N’Golo Kante and Eden Hazard’s efforts in Chelsea’s Premier League title tilt have been recognised and both are in for a showdown of their own. Hazard has already won this award in 2014-15 when Chelsea won the league under Jose Mourinho. The 26 years old Belgium winger has looked to be in a blistering form this season netting 14 goals in crucial encounters. Another indispensable member of Antonio Conte’s team sheet who has emerged as one of the best midfielders in Europe - if not the best has to be N’Golo Kante. The French midfielder has been nothing less than a Ferrari engine in the midfield and has dominated his opponents leaving them overwhelmed by his skill and stamina. Even though being one of the Top 6 himself, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has chosen Kante to be his pick for the Premier League Honour.

Zlatan has already scored 17 goals for the Red Devils

“Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” describes the Swedish International in an immaculate way that even Zlatan would feel Zlatan Ibrahimovic should be described by. Scoring phenomenal goals, shutting his critics and shrugging off their comments is what Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been doing from a long time now and has continued the trend after joining the Red Devils as well. With 17 goals already this season, Swede has injected Manchester United with a passion to annihilate their opponents. Jose’s men have been unbeaten in their last 22 encounters, currently holding the longest unbeaten run in all of Europe and are the top contenders for winning the Europa League. Manchester United has already won the Community Shield and EFL Cup this season and Zlatan’s role in the recent success of the club has been profoundly noticed making him one of the top six contenders for the honour.

Gunners talisman Alexis Sanchez has been in sublime form despite Arsenal's poor run

The only silver lining in Arsenal’s struggling form this season has to be the performance of their talisman, Alexis Sanchez. With just four wins out of their last ten Premier League matches, Gunners have blown away what could have been a great season for them. Placed 2^nd due to goal difference, with 23 points after first ten matches behind Manchester City (23 points), the Gunners started of the season in a blazing manner but couldn’t keep the guns blazing in the latter half of the season. However, with the third most goals and fourth most assists, nobody else even makes the top 10 in both categories. More key passes than anyone on the shortlist, more tackles and interceptions than anybody but Kante, the target man, wide attacker and conventional winger: Sanchez can do them all to an exceptionally high level, and that's something you cannot say about any of the other Top 6. The scintillating 28 years old Chilean has got it all to grab the award but the question that stays is, Will He?

Undoubtedly way more than just a "One Season Wonder", Harry Kane

If there is any club that’s really challenging the league leaders Chelsea for the title this season, Tottenham Hotspurs is the club that will undoubtedly enter your mind and Harry Kane is the name that you’ll take. The 23 years old, England striker has proven himself to be pivotal as 2^nd placed Spurs fight for the top spot this season. By netting 20 goals this season, Kane has joined the league legends Thierry Henry, Alan Shearer and Ruud van Nistelrooy in an elite list of the Top EPL Marksmen who have scored 20 or more goals in three successive Premier League seasons. Revered by the fans and his teammates, Harry Kane just behind Romelu Lukaku in the race for being the Top Scorer of the league has surely silenced the ones labelling him as a “One Season Wonder”. However, many still feel that Kane is not playing up to his full potential and the young man from Walthamstow has a treasure of talent that will lead him to be one of the best this game has ever seen. Kane surely will be hoping to become the first Englishman to be officially named as the league’s best player in over a decade.

Romelu Lukaku is currently league's Top Scorer with 24 goals

The Top 6 list of nominees would undoubtedly be incomplete without the league’s top scorer, Romelu Lukaku. With 24 goals already this season, the Everton striker has been talismanic in his game play and has become an integral part of Ronald Koeman’s line up. The Belgian striker is now only the fourth player in Premier League history to score 80-plus goals in the competition before turning 24 years old. Being the current top scorer, Lukaku will eye to win the award giving a stiff competition to the other five. Brilliant in air, extremely strong and really quick for someone his size, the exceedingly talented centre-forward would unquestionably be a tough one to be competing with.

“PFA Player of the Year” is an accolade that every EPL player would love to add to their résumé, after all to be awarded as the best in the most unpredictable and thrilling league in the world is an honour and not every player can achieve it. The Top 6 nominees are out, season is at its final chapter, time for making errors is up and the teams have gone in overdrive. Who do you think has got it to be the “Best in England”?