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Mohammed Salah is the English Premier League’s player of the year, according to the Football Writers Association. It’s hard to argue against the assessment of hundreds of football journalists from across the UK, at least 90% of them. Pundits’ opinions aside, the Egyptian has been in imperious form this season.
No other EPL forward comes close to his stats. With 28 goals, he’s a shoo-in for the Golden Boot, no pun intended. And no other attacking player has notched anywhere as many assists. 18 Mo Salah passes have led to goals. His closest challenger in this regard is Newcastle’s Jacob Murphy with 11 assists.
Speaking of challengers, which other Premier League players could have won your vote for the FWA Player of the Year? Here are some of Total Apex’s picks.
Player Of The Year Picks Outside Of Mohammed Salah
Virgil Van Dijk
Defensive players tend to get the short end of the stick when it comes to awarding players’ efforts. But the journalists thought highly enough of the Liverpool captain’s on-field contributions to vote him in second behind the Egyptian goal machine. He matches Mo Salah in terms of consistency- they’re the only two players who have played more than 34 games for Liverpool this season. No other EPL player has made as many passes as the Dutchman. Then there are the essential but unquantifiable attributes like leadership and positional play that secured Liverpool’s title.
Ryan Gravenberch
We’re running the risk of sounding like a paid ad for the Reds, but flowers must be given where they’re due. Name one Premier League midfielder who has improved as much as Liverpool’s number 38. We’ll wait. Last season, the Dutchman only made a handful of starts with Jurgen Klopp preferring a Wataru Endō-Alexis McAllister partnership in midfield. But Arne Slot gave Gravenberch a window of opportunity at the beginning of his tenure, and he seized it with both hands. He takes pleasure in shuttling from box to box, mopping up possession and shielding the back four. His efficacy in this role has allowed McAllister to roam forward with devastating effect.
Alexander Isak
At one point, when the Mo Salah contract talks were deadlocked, the Swede came under Liverpool’s radar as a possible replacement. Okay, enough about Liverpool. But the Reds were not the only ones watching Isak keenly. Arsenal, following Kai Havertz’s long-term injury, appeared poised to snap up Newcastle’s number 14 in January. That’s proof enough of the form and consistency Isak has shown this season. That and the 23 goals and nine assists he’s bagged so far in all competitions. Also, a few other 6 3” players are as skillful on the ball as this highly rated forward. He placed third on the FWA rankings, in case you were wondering.
Bukayo Saka
If not the Player of the Year overall, you have to agree that the Arsenal winger has been the best in a Gunners shirt all season. Even in an injury-blighted season that has limited him to 22 appearances, Saka’s still managed to rack up six goals and 10 assists from the right flank. You could say his return was a key factor in the Londoners making it to the Champions League semis. Had he and a few other key Gunners been fit, they may have taken the Premier League race to the wire.
Moisés Caicedo
One of the few pillars of consistency in Chelsea FC’s topsy-turvy season has been the Colombian midfielder. We’re not sure how he was overlooked in the Player of the Year ranking exercise, but he deserved to feature in the top five, if not the top three. In the absence of stats that measure his commitment to Chelsea’s cause this season, we’ll mention that few EPL players have committed or been on the receiving end of as many fouls as he has. His Cafu-like stamina and willingness to put his body on the line for the Blues curtailed opponents’ ability to penetrate Chelsea’s mediocre defence. If Rodri won the Ballon d’Or for the same, surely Caicedo can get an FWA mention.
For the Love of the Game
We’re putting forth these five outstanding players, but in our heart of hearts, we know Mo Salah truly deserves his crown. His season-long brilliance may be down to just one thing: his simple love for the game. With the league title (and Golden Boot) wrapped up and nothing to play for, Salah still started and played every minute of last weekend’s 3-1 drubbing at Stamford Bridge. Why? The man loves the beautiful game.
More must-reads:
- Newcastle's record bid for Isak replacement rejected as club shifts focus
- Tottenham Hotspur star's LAFC transfer raises eyebrows for the right reasons
- The 'NBA playoff point-per-game leaders' quiz
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