Declan Rice will hope to claim the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award tonight after missing out to Bruno Fernandes in the Football Writers’ Association’s Footballer of the Year vote.
The Arsenal midfielder is one of six nominees for the prestigious prize, which is voted for by fellow professionals, with the winner to be announced at the PFA Awards in Manchester tonight.
Rice faces competition from Manchester United captain Fernandes, Manchester City duo Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland, and Arsenal team-mates Gabriel Magalhães and David Raya.
Fernandes will go into the ceremony as a strong contender after beating Rice to the FWA award earlier this year, following a phenomenal season in which he recorded 21 Premier League assists.
However, the PFA award gives Rice another opportunity to claim individual recognition for his outstanding campaign.
The 27-year-old was a key figure as Arsenal lifted the Premier League title and reached the Champions League final, scoring five goals and setting up 11 in all competitions.
With the award decided by players rather than journalists, Rice will be hoping his performances have made enough of an impression on his fellow professionals to overturn the result from the FWA vote.
Men’s Player of the Year nominees
- Rayan Cherki – Manchester City
- Bruno Fernandes – Manchester United
- Erling Haaland – Manchester City
- Gabriel Magalhães – Arsenal
- David Raya – Arsenal
- Declan Rice – Arsenal
Women’s Player of the Year nominees
The women’s award also features a six-player shortlist, with Manchester City striker Bunny Shaw among the leading contenders after another outstanding campaign, scoring 27 goals in all competitions.
- Kirsty Hanson, Aston Villa
- Yui Hasegawa, Manchester City
- Lauren James, Chelsea
- Jess Park, Manchester United
- Alessia Russo, Arsenal
- Bunny Shaw, Manchester City
Men’s Young Player of the Year nominees
- Rayan Cherki, Manchester City
- Max Dowman, Arsenal
- Junior Kroupi, Bournemouth
- Kobbie Mainoo, Manchester United
- Rio Ngumoha, Liverpool
- Nico O’Reilly, Manchester City
Women’s Young Player of the Year nominees
- Laura Blindkilde Brown, Manchester City
- Veerle Buurman, Chelsea
- Freya Godfrey, London City Lionesses
- Tōko Koga, Tottenham Hotspur
- Olivia Smith, Arsenal
- Alyssa Thompson, Chelsea
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