Two Arsenal and Manchester City players are among the eight nominees for the 2023-24 Premier League Player of the Season award.
Both the Gunners and the Citizens have followed up last season's title battle with another tantalising top-of-the-table tussle this term, thanks to the sensational form of a number of their first-team stars.
Reigning champions Man City, bidding to win an unprecedented fourth successive title, have continued to dazzle on the Premier League stage this season and two of their standout performers have been attacking duo Phil Foden and Erling Haaland.
Foden, who was recently named the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year, is enjoying arguably his best season in a Man City shirt having contributed with 24 goals and 11 assists in 49 appearances across all competitions, including 16 strikes and eight assists in 32 Premier League outings thus far.
Haaland, meanwhile, is in the driving seat to win back-to-back Golden Boots having scored 25 Premier League goals in 28 games, despite missing around two months of the campaign through injury. The Norwegian has scored two hat-tricks, including his four-goal haul against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend and has also chipped in with five assists, making him one of only three players to reach 30 goal involvements this term.
Both Foden and Haaland are joined on the eight-man shortlist by Arsenal pair Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice, the latter has made an impressive start to life at the Emirates Stadium following his big-money move from West Ham United last summer.
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Rice, Odegaard in the mix for PL award
Rice has quickly established himself as a key cog in Mikel Arteta's machine, transforming from a defensive midfielder into a box-to-box powerhouse who has contributed to 15 goals (seven goals, eight assists) this season, as well as making 79 tackles and 43 interceptions.
As for Arsenal captain Odegaard, he has once again led by example this term as the Gunners endeavour to win their first league title since 2003-04. The 25-year-old has been ever-present in Arteta's side and has recorded eight goals and eight assists in 33 league appearances, as well as creating 94 chances - the second-most in the division.
The only defender nominated for POTS is Liverpool's colossal captain Virgil van Dijk, who has been back to his best this season following a challenging spell in the previous campaign. The Dutchman, widely regarded as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League, has made the third-most passes (2,721) and has won the second-most duels (186) in the division, while he has been dribbled past only twice all season.
Foden and Rice are among four English players nominated for the top individual Premier League prize along with Aston Villa talisman Ollie Watkins and Chelsea talent Cole Palmer.
Watkins has elevated his game to new heights this term under the tutelage of Villa manager Unai Emery and boasts the most goal involvements (31) of any player in the division. His 19 goals in 35 outings have pushed him into contention for the Golden Boot, while he currently leads the way for assists with 12 and is on course to claim the Playmaker award.
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Palmer one of four players up for two PL awards
Palmer, meanwhile, is also in the Golden Boot race and has quickly established himself as Chelsea's standout performer following his transfer from Man City last summer. The versatile attacker has scored 21 goals and registered nine assists in 31 Premier League games, and he is only the third player in the division's history to reach 30+ goal involvements in a single season while aged 21 or younger, after Robbie Fowler and Chris Sutton.
Last must certainly not least, Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is another name in contention for POTS following another superb campaign in front of goal. The Swede is the first Magpies player since club legend Alan Shearer in 2002-03 to reach the 20-goal mark in a Premier League season, while his minutes-per-goal ratio of 101.3 is only second to Haaland's 91.8 among players who have scored at least twice.
Isak, 24, and Palmer have also been nominated for the Premier League's Young Player of the Season award along with Foden and Haaland, as well as Arsenal's Bukayo Saka and William Saliba, Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo and Tottenham Hotspur's Destiny Udogie.
All public votes can be made on the Premier League's official website and they will be combined with those of a panel of football experts to decide a winner for each award. The results will be revealed on May 18.
Oliver Thomas
