Five contenders for PFA Player of the Year award

Generally, this time of the year would have been the award season in the Premier League. However, the season, along with the other major sporting events across the world, has been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There had been fears that the 2019-20 Premier League season would end prematurely, but it has now been confirmed that the campaign will be finished, with the June 1 deadline to end the season being pushed back indefinitely.

Footballing action remains suspended at least until the end of next month. But there is hope that the season will resume and with that in mind, let’s take a look at five players who are the top contenders to win this year’s Professional Footballers' Association Men's Players' Player of the Year - or the PFA Player of the Year award.

Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)

The only remaining squad member of the Liverpool side that came ever so close to winning the league title back in 2014, Jordan Henderson seems set to lead the Reds to their maiden Premier League triumph this term.

The Reds’ skipper isn’t always given due credit that he deserves. His contributions don’t always get recognized, but Henderson’s value and importance to this Liverpool side cannot be overstated. It is no surprise that Jurgen Klopp’s side faced problems over the last month after their captain was out on the treatment tables.

Read | Five centre-backs Manchester City should target in summer

Henderson has played 25 matches in the league this term, scoring three goals and setting up five more. A reliable presence when playing as a defensive midfielder, Henderson is also very much effective playing in a more advanced role, with his distribution and piercing forward runs. But, what makes him such an important cog in this side is his leadership.

Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) 

Manchester City might have endured a disappointing campaign in comparison to the lofty standards they set for themselves, but Kevin De Bruyne has continued to shine bright for the reigning champions, proving exactly why he is considered as one of the best in the business.

De Bruyne’s influence on Guardiola’s team is huge. The Belgian international is the one who keeps the Citizens ticking, while also producing important goals on a regular basis. His importance was clearly visible in Manchester City’s toothless display in the Manchester derby recently, when De Bruyne was out with an injury.

It has been another splendid season for the Belgian midfielder, during the course of which he has made 26 appearances, bagging eight goals and assisting 16 more. At this rate, it seems just an inevitability that De Bruyne eclipses Thierry Henry’s record for most assists in a single season in the Premier League (20), once the season resumes.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)  

Just his third full season with the Liverpool first-team, just 21 years old, but Trent Alexander-Arnold is already considered as one of the best right-backs in the game and has already drawn comparisons to the legends like Cafu.

Read | Five players who could move to the Premier League this summer

One wouldn’t be too wrong in saying that the England international is one of Liverpool’s most important creative outlets. His dangerous forays forward down the right-side, coupled with equally devastating crosses and his set-piece delivery make him such a critical part of Jurgen Klopp’s setup.

Having broken the record for most assists by a defender in a season last time out, Alexander-Arnold has already levelled that tally with 12 assists in 29 matches, while contributing with a couple of goals as well. Should the season resume, Liverpool will be crowned champions and the 21-year-old academy graduate will have played a huge role in that triumph.

Jamie Vardy (Leicester City) 

A lot has changed at Leicester City since their surprise title triumph in 2015-16, but one thing that has remained constant is Jamie Vardy’s hunger for goals. The Englishman has continued to plunder goals for the Foxes and has been in brilliant form in the 2019-20 campaign.

Vardy has been one of the major driving forces behind Leicester’s push for a top-four finish. While his form has dipped somewhat since the turn of the year, the former England international is still ahead of the pack in the Golden Boot race, having found the back of the net on 19 occasions in 26 matches.

At 33 years of age, Vardy might not have a lot of years left in his career at the top level. And a strong finish to what has been a memorable campaign so far could very well see him bag the top honours.

Read | Why do defensive midfielders make great managers?

Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Only two players in the history of the Premier League have managed to win the PFA Player of the Year award in consecutive seasons – Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo. And Virgil van Dijk is a strong contender to join that elite list this season.

The current holder of the award, van Dijk has once again been the cornerstone on which Liverpool’s special campaign has been built upon. The Netherlands international hasn’t missed a single league game for the Reds this season and has been integral in their run to the top. 

Liverpool have the best defensive record in the league this season (21 goals conceded) and have kept the most clean sheets as well (12). And van Dijk’s role in these achievements has been instrumental, to say the least. Commanding at the back and excellent with the ball, the 28-year-old has also chipped in with 4 goals, putting his name into the hat for this season’s top player awards.

Related tags:

Jordan Brian Henderson - MidfielderKevin De Bruyne - MidfielderTrent John Alexander-Arnold - DefenderJamie Richard Vardy - ForwardManchester CityVirgil Van Dijk - DefenderLeicester CityLiverpool English Premier League

That’s odd: Fixture congestion a worry for Premier League sides

With only a handful of games left in the Indian Super League before it reaches the playoffs, it is safe to say there is no margin for error for any side from this point on. After 14 rounds of play, FC Goa acquire the top spot in the tally and they are closely followed by the defending champions, Bengaluru FC, who are only two points away.

As ATK sit third, the likes of Odisha FC and Mumbai City FC are battling for the final place, with the former leading the latter by only a point.

Back in England, Liverpool are leading the charge all ends up, leaving the other sides to fight for a Champions League spot. Chelsea, who sit fourth, enjoy a six-point lead over the fifth-placed Manchester United and face a stern away test against Leicester City.

The biggest game of all, however, will see Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho returning to the fray, with Manchester City making a trip to London to face Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Tottenham vs Manchester City

Free-flowing Manchester City have found it hard to snatch the games of late and given the fixture congestion the Premier League sides are experiencing, the Citizens taking on Tottenham remains a must-watch game in one’s bucket list.

Tottenham, in pursuit of finishing their campaign inside top-four, have only won just one of their last five league encounters, and the last thing they would want in their tracking is to face Manchester City. The game promises goals, to say least given that the last 0-0 draw between the teams was played way back in 2010. City, on their part, have always dominated Tottenham away from home, but expect fatigue to play its bit part on Sunday.

As far as statistics are concerned, City have scored at least two goals in seven of their last eight Premier League appearances. Thus, it is safe to say they are tipped to net at least once against Tottenham.

Watch out for:

Kevin De Bruyne: Enjoying another stellar campaign under Guardiola, midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has already registered seven goals and 15 assists in the Premier League this season. His record in his last nine outings read; three goals and a whopping six assists, meaning that he is involved in at least one goal per game. With Tottenham struggling in front of goal, expect the other side to wreak havoc and count on De Bruyne to play a big role in that.

Odisha FC vs FC Goa

League leader FC Goa are scheduled to make a trip to the Kalinga Stadium to square off against Odisha FC on Wednesday. The fact that both teams need a win to assert a claim to their challenge makes this fixture a worthy watch.

Goa, after a strong start to their new campaign, have stumbled twice in their last five outings, both of which have come away from home. Odisha, on the other hand, have only lost one of their last five games and are unbeaten at home since mid-December. What makes life more difficult for Goa though is that Odisha have scored at least twice in four of their recent five outings, meaning that they are extremely likely to score on Wednesday.

The teams have already met once this season, and it were Goa who managed to run riot, emerging 3-0 victorious on the back of Ferran Corominas’ brace.

Watch out for:

Aridane Santana: The big man in form for Odisha, Aridane Santana has slowly become one of the most influential figures in the Indian Super League. The Spanish centre-forward is scoring goals at will and his recent return of five goals and one assist in last four games is surely a thing of bother for Goa. His stats suggest that he is currently one of the best strikers in the league, having managed more shots (36) or shots on target (15) than any other player in the league.

It wasn’t his day the last time these sides met, but expect a sense of vengeance this time around.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Oli Scarff

Think you know better? Head to Sportsbet.io to show us how much…

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Oli Scarff

Related tags:

FC GoaOdisha FCManchester CityAridane Jesus Santana Cabrera - ForwardKevin De Bruyne - MidfielderTottenham Hotspur English Premier LeagueIndian Super LeagueThats Odd

‘Man City needed just 15 minutes to plan tactics against United’

Manchester City’s attacking players ran rings around Man United’s defence in first leg of the Carabaro Cup semi-final, claiming a comfortable 3-1 victory. The Cityzens opted to go in with a false nine strategy, with manager Pep Guardiola keeping strikers Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus on the bench, with Portuguese playmaker Bernardo Silva leading the line.

Bernardo was unstoppable on the night, scoring a belter in the opening minutes and then put in a brilliant through pass to Riyad Mahrez who rounded the goalkeeper to make it 2-0. Another midfielder who performed brilliantly for the reigning champions was Kevin De Bruyne, who dribbled past Phil Jones with ease to setup the third goal on his 200th appearance in England.

The Belgian midfielder revealed in the post match press conference that his side practiced on tactics for only 15 minutes. “We did 15 minutes on Tuesday morning. That’s about it. I think overall we played well. The second half they tried to put a bit more pressure on us and we made one mistake and they scored from it,” revealed De Bruyne.

“We didn’t train that (on Monday), but it’s not like we never did it before – we did it sometimes against teams that prefer to play man-against-man – Cardiff, United, in Barcelona away we did it the first year with Pep, so we’ve done it a couple of times,” added the Belgian.

Kevin De Bruyne’s answer had Twitter in splits, with many fans equating that statement to be an invitation to mock Manchester United’s performance in that game and their decline in this decade. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side offered little in the Carabao Cup semi-final, and were totally taken aback Manchester City’s strategy and formation.

Here’s a look at some of the best tweets regarding De Bruyne’s comments.  

Photo courtesy: Paul Ellis/ AFP

Related tags:

Manchester UnitedKevin De Bruyne - MidfielderManchester City English Premier League

Fantasy Focus: A tale of assists awaits from De Bruyne and Larbi

The Premier League will welcome the FIFA Club World Cup champions, Liverpool who will have second-placed Leicester City waiting for them. After enduring a 3-1 loss at the Etihad Stadium against reigning champions Manchester City, the Foxes will be looking to regroup and improve their performances against the Merseysiders.

On the other side, the Indian Super League (ISL) will enter matchday ten as ATK lines up against Sunil Chhetri’s Bengaluru FC. It is yet another feisty battle between two attacking sides in the league given the goal scoring form of ATK’s attacking duo, Roy Krishna and David Williams. Jorge Costa also has a big task at hand to keep the winning momentum of Mumbai City FC as the Islanders are currently on a five-match unbeaten run in the ISL.

The fantasy managers of Nostragamus will have to keep an eye out on these players if they intend to win big this week.

KEVIN DE BRUYNE

Club: Manchester City

Match: Wolves vs Manchester City

In a world of his own, Kevin De Bruyne’s genius is unparalleled when it comes to setting up goals for teammates. The Belgian has the most number of assists (10) this season so far and has created 16 big chances which included a brilliant assist to Gabriel Jesus in an all-important encounter against Leicester.

Despite assisting, De Bruyne is also the recipient of six goals in this Premier League season and has truly emerged as Manchester City’s saviour with his high percentage of passing accuracy; averaging over 50 passes per match. Undoubtedly, a big match player, the midfield general is bound to step up against Wolves in the upcoming weekend.

Also Read | Winning is not everything in life: Sports psychologist Nanaki J. Chadha

MOHAMED LARBI

Club: Mumbai City FC 

Match: Mumbai City FC vs Hyderabad FC

The Tunisian midfielder is making headway with Mumbai City FC, having emerged as their player with most assists (4) to his name and a solitary goal to top it off. Larbi has been a regular figure in Jorge Costa starting’s line-up because of his pin-point passing accuracy and ability to deliver from set-pieces.

Larbi holds a high passing accuracy of 63% and has a high work rate which includes 26 tackles and seven crucial interceptions in the midfield. His defensive abilities are also what usually keeps him a threat to the opposition. An all-rounded player, Larbi is just getting started in the ISL.

JAMIE VARDY

Club: Leicester City

Match: Leicester City vs Liverpool

Jamie Vardy continued his goal scoring onslaught in the Premier League when he opened the scoring against English champions Manchester City, taking his tally to a whopping 17 goals in 18 appearances. With a relentless pace and clinical abilities to finish, Vardy has recorded 29 shots on target in the season and has scored seven goals each with both his left and right foot, showing his versatility on the pitch.

In Vardy, Brendan Rodgers has a gem of a number nine in his squad and with table toppers Liverpool up next, the Foxes will look to unleash Vardy once again.

SUNIL CHHETRI

Club: Bengaluru FC

Match: ATK vs Bengaluru FC 

Bengaluru’s captain Sunil Chhetri hasn’t displayed any signs of slowing down. Leading the way for his team, Chhetri scored from the spot against NorthEast United in a 2-0 victory, taking his team to the top of the table after the win. The skipper has been instrumental this season with his five goals scored so far and is completely in contention to end the campaign among the top goal scorers.

India’s all-time top scorer has registered 23 shots in the season and with an intent of lifting the title, expect Chhetri to net some more world-class goals.

Also Read: ATK’s Roy Krishna and David Williams have a secret to their ISL success

ROY KRISHNA

Club: ATK

Match: ATK vs Bengaluru FC 

Running riot in the ISL is ATK’s Roy Krishna who has been topping the goal scoring charts, having scored eight in the season so far. Sitting at the helm, Krishna’s performance against Hyderabad allowed ATK to walk away with a point and avoid an embarrassing defeat. Krishna is slowly emerging as one of the most feared strikers in the league and given ATK’s charge this season, he is surely tipped to end his season with the Golden Boot in the ISL.

Feature image courtesy: AFP/ Oli Scarff

Related tags:

Manchester CityLeicester CityATKBengaluru FCKevin De Bruyne - MidfielderJamie Richard Vardy - ForwardRoy Krishna - Forward Fantasy FocusEnglish Premier LeagueIndian Super League

Kevin De Bruyne blasts Euro 2020 format as UEFA deals with draw headache

The format for UEFA's continent-wide Euro 2020 has been labelled "a scandal" by Belgium star Kevin De Bruyne as European football's governing body faces a headache to ensure all host nations who qualify get to play at home.

For the first time, next year's European Championship will be played in 12 different host cities in 12 different nations, with Wembley staging the semi-finals and final.

The draw for what will be the second 24-team Euro will be held in Bucharest on Saturday, November 30.

Wales became the 20th nation to secure their spot when they beat Hungary 2-0 in Cardiff on Tuesday, with the remaining four places going to the winners of play-offs to be held next March.

However, with UEFA having to ensure that host nations play group games on home turf while also keeping certain teams apart for geopolitical reasons, much of the suspense has already been removed from the draw.

For example, Ukraine and Russia cannot face one another due to the conflict in eastern Ukraine. That means Belgium already know they will face Russia and Denmark -- both of whom will host games -- in Group B, leaving little suspense come the draw for the finals.

"It is a scandal, honestly," Manchester City star De Bruyne told Belgian television after his side's 6-1 win over Cyprus on Tuesday.

"Football is not really football anymore, it's becoming a business.

"As a player you have to get used to it, but for me they are sort of falsifying the competition. It takes all the pleasure away from the draw."

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman was similarly vexed to discover that his side have already been placed in the same section, Group C, as Ukraine.

"I don't really understand this new format. I have asked my federation if I still need to bother going to the draw on November 30," he told De Telegraaf.

France, Portugal not top seeds

Belgium, Italy, England, Germany, Spain and Ukraine are the top seeds for the draw, while World Cup holders France find themselves in pot two along with the Netherlands. Reigning European champions Portugal are in the third pot.

The draw for the play-offs which will provide the last four berths at the tournament will be held this Friday, with its make-up based on performances in the recent, inaugural UEFA Nations League.

Having fallen short in qualifying, both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will get a second shot in the play-offs.

Northern Ireland will visit Bosnia and Herzegovina on March 26, while the Republic of Ireland will go to Slovakia the same day. 

The winners of those one-off ties will then meet five days later with a finals place at stake.

Scotland will have a home play-off against either Bulgaria, Israel, Hungary or Romania. Should they win that, they will then take on Norway or Serbia for a place in the finals.

However, Scotland, Hungary and Romania are all due to host matches, which means providing for them all doing so should they qualify for the finals becomes a headache for organisers.

In addition, the fact the play-off winners will not be known until just two and a half months before the start of the Euro on June 12, adds another layer of complication.

Seedings for Euro 2020

Pot 1: Belgium, Italy, England, Germany, Spain, Ukraine

Pot 2: France, Poland, Switzerland, Croatia, Netherlands, Russia

Pot 3: Portugal, Turkey, Denmark, Austria, Sweden, Czech Republic

Pot 4: Wales, Finland, winners of four play-offs

- Draw to be held in Bucharest on November 30

Play-off line-up

Path A: Iceland plus three from Bulgaria, Israel, Hungary and Romania

Path B: Bosnia and Herzegovina v Northern Ireland; Slovakia v Republic of Ireland

Path C: Scotland v one of Bulgaria, Israel, Hungary or Romania; Norway v Serbia

Path D: Georgia v Belarus; North Macedonia v Kosovo

- Play-off draw to be held on Friday, November 22

Feature image courtesy: AFP / John Thys

Related tags:

Kevin De Bruyne - Midfielder

Five footballers who blossomed under the watchful eyes of Pep Guardiola

One of the most shrewd and forthright tacticians in football presently, Pep Guardiola has laid the founding stones of confidence in innumerable players over the course of his managerial career. They dictated how the game should be played, earning the status of footballing legends.

Guardiola’s tantalising ability to make players meet their best selves has propelled them to eternity. Here we list out the five top players who blossomed under the Spanish manager.   

Raheem Sterling (Manchester City)

After an underwhelming performance in his first season at Manchester City, Raheem Sterling embraced Guardiola’s arrival at Manchester City with arms wide open.

The Spanish manager envisioned something bigger and better for Sterling after he was left in tatters due to his poor show in the 2016 UEFA Euro Cup.

Guardiola deployed him on the left flank, using his pace and agility to ingrain him in his swift football system. Since the start of 2017/18 Premier League season, Sterling has scored 35 goals for City and provided crucial assists. He was instrumental in City’s treble-winning season, and has improved his rate of making more key passes lately.

Sergio Busquets (Barcelona)

Sergio Busquets was a pivotal character in Barcelona’s midfield during Guardiola’s era. The 48-year-old manager had his eyes on Busquets when he was coaching Barcelona’s B side.

Witnessing his calm composure, outstanding ball control and accurate vision on the pitch, Guardiola handed Busquets his La Liga debut at the Camp Nou during his first season in charge.

Guardiola’s faith paid off as Busquets fit well in Barcelona’s system of swift passing and controlling the ball. Busquets is now the engine that keeps the Barcelona’s midfield ticking, and holds the key for the Catalan giants.

Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)

During his tenure as Bayern Munich’s manager, the Spanish manager discovered Joshua Kimmich. A natural midfielder whose abilities allowed him to move forward with intent of providing crucial passes into the box, was given a position as a centre-back.

Guardiola wanted to develop an all-round player after witnessing Kimmich in action, and during his last season at Bayern, he made sure that the German worked hard for it. He was also confronted by the Spaniard after a 0-0 draw against Borussia Dortmund.

This exchange between the player and the manager was full of intensity, denoting Guardiola’s liking for the German.

Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)

De Bruyne was City’s most important player during their record-breaking title win in 2017-18. Operating under Guardiola, Kevin let the horrors of Chelsea slip past him and adopted a lethal role of central midfielder.

All the footballing pundits praised the Spaniard for reinventing and transforming Kevin into one of the most innovative players of modern-day football. The Belgian continues to lead the way for the Citizens under Guardiola’s protection.

Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Lionel Messi wreaked havoc under Guardiola and became the greatest of all time. Deploying him as a ‘False nine’ worked wonders and brought innumerable goals and titles for Guardiola from 2008 to 2012, including a treble in 2009.

Messi adjusted insanely well to Guardiola’s ‘tiki-taka’ and paved the way for the new era of football that his manager always wanted to see.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Oli Scarff

Related tags:

Lionel Andres Messi Cuccittini - ForwardBayern MunichManchester CityRaheem Shaquille Sterling - ForwardKevin De Bruyne - MidfielderBarcelona English Premier LeaguePep GuardiolaBundesligaLa Liga