Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney leads the nominations for the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year award.
Rooney, 24, is joined on the shortlist by Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and Manchester City frontman Carlos Tevez.
Rooney and Fabregas are also nominees for the young player of the year award.
Aston Villa midfielder James Milner and Birmingham’s on-loan goalkeeper Joe Hart complete the list.
Rooney, who has already scored 34 goals for his club this term, is favourite to capture the PFA prize and make it the fourth successive year it has gone to a United player, following back-to-back wins for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2007 and 2008 and Ryan Giggs’ success last season.
He and Fabregas, 22, will compete to join a select band of players to have won the young player award in the same season as the main honour after Andy Gray in 1977 and Ronaldo in 2007.
Fabregas is out until the end of the season after cracking his right fibula during the first leg of the Gunners’ Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona, but played a key part in their challenge for the Premier League title which was seemingly ended by their defeat by Tottenham on Wednesday.
Drogba, 32, has hit 32 goals to leave Chelsea on the brink of the first double in the club’s history, while Tevez, 26, has also enjoyed a prolific campaign; netting 28 goals since joining City from neighbours United last summer.
Aston Villa winger Ashley Young won the young player of the year award last season.
Andy Gray’s cringeworthy oversell of every significant moment makes watching football on sky a right dose
I’d usually agree with you there WTB, but this time it was justified. He was also speechless for a few moments. There was a cracking atmosphere, the game was being played at a ferocious pace and then all of a sudden there was this incredible strike and I think everyone was stunned thinking “WHO the fuck is that?!!” and it was a marvellous moment to see the young lad wheeling away and realise how enormous a moment it was. Indeed, Assou-Ekotto, who Harry reckons doesn’t give a bollox about football, is the first player on him and he’s going nuts too.
Watched the clip there and must say I disagree with you. The dramatic pause for affect was pure cringeworthy. Was an excellent strike no doubt and technique was good but it was by no means astonishing. His comment about it being such a big stage was bit over the top too. An EPL game is hardly highest stage of all no matter what Sky would like to think
How is Wayne Rooney in the running for young player of the year…he is 24 for fuck sake
I’d disagree back larry. Seen with the benefit of the first 10 minutes and in the context of Spurs going for 4th while wishing to fuck up Arsenal’s title chances it was an astonishing moment. I was agape anyway, and I was sitting on a couch in my grandmother’s house rather than even being at the game. Watched back on Youtube it’s not that special but at the time it was.
This is probably the only time in my entire life I will ever defend Andy Gray.
Larry slating the EPL, quelle surprise… :rolleyes:
Take a bow, son.
Take a bow.
Spurs have released a DVD of their 2-1 victory over Arsenal, now that is pathetic.
Looking forward to the Manchester derby and the London one this weekend.
Depending on team selection I fancy City to win. But if Mancini arses around with Zabaleta in midfield or Barry left wing they wont. 44 fucking 2 will do it. United will be strong out wide but if Rooney aint fit they need to partner Macheda with Berbatov to have a chance. Bellamy up against Gary Neville should be fun.
Spurs Chelsea should be good too. You would have to fancy the Blues though. Spurs have a lot of injuries and Defoe is out of form.
Betting wise, considering the team Pompey put out last weekend, Villa have to be serious value at 4/6 to dispose of them at Fratton Park. I’m going against my own rules here and backing my own team even though they are playing shit and the manager has lost his marbles at this stage we should be far too good for Pompey.
Arsene Wenger reckons it would be a step down for Fabregas to join Barca. Obviously he’s deluded but he could have waited a couple of weeks more to state it given the comprehensive footballing lesson his team recently received from Zlatan and company is still very fresh in the memory.
The ultimate test of a player is how they perform at the Reebok on a cold night Bandage. Playing alongside Messi, Xavi etc could only lead to a player like Fabreagas picking up bad habits surely.
AFAIK tinnion they do that with all their games. you can buy them in the club shop a few hours after the game. i know this used be the way as a friend of mine is a big spurs fan. any time hed go over for a game he would arive back with a copy of the game on dvd
Hon Craig Bellamy, doyen of the forum. Another shovel of earth to be thrown on the grave of the filth today god willing.
I think you’ve the wrong meaning of ‘doyen’ there mbb.
I’d like it to be recorded that I absolutely love Craig Bellamy.
At times he looks like he is a really top player but he is too inconsistent, and was so at Liverpool.
A likeable sort though. If only for taking a golfclub to John Arne Riise.
Dear God. Neville up against Bellamy. City should win by 3 at least.