Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Man United’s Marcus Rashford have taken home the 2022/23 men’s Player of the Year awards at the most recent PFA Awards on Tuesday night, as Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning side once again dominated the Team of the Year.
This year’s Professional Footballers’ Association Awards saw the ceremony return to Manchester for the first time since 2020 and on a significant milestone, as it marked the 50th year since the event started.
Instead of being held in London as it is traditionally, the 22/23 season’s PFA Awards took place at the Lowry Theatre over in Media City, as dozens of football stars rocked up to Salford Quays to celebrate last year’s impressive campaigns.
When it came to the Players’ Player of the Year, there was only ever going to be one person’s name on the trophy and he can add it all the other accolades he won during his record-breaking season: Erling Haaland. 36 league goals and eight assists alone in 35 games — all in his first year. Insane.
When it came to the PFA’s Team of the Year, the Norwegian was accompanied by four other Man City teammates, as Ruben Dias, John Stones, Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri were all included in the 22/23 TOTY selection, making up nearly half of the entire 11. I mean, they did win the treble.
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It was a similar success for the WSL Team of the Year as well, with Lionesses defender Alex Greenwood included for the third time in a row, midfielder Yui Hasegawa making her first appearance on the list and Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw joining them after her impressive season of 20 goals and seven assists.
Manchester United managed three of their own in the 22/23 WSL TOTY too, with England hero Mary Earps never in doubt along with her rock-solid defensive partnership, Ona Batlle and Maya Le Tissier.
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Speaking of the red half of Manchester, Old Trafford saw one more award come its way as Marcus Rashford managed to earn the PFA Fans’ Player of the Year Award following his best-ever statistical season.
As you can see, it turned out to be a great night for the Mancs and the fact they simply had to go down the road to receive their recognition was a nice bonus.
Elsewhere, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka won the Young Player of the Year Award, with Lauren James winning the equivalent in the WSL awards, while fellow Lioness and Aston Villa star Rachel Daly won the Women’s Player of the Year.
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You can see the full list of winners and nominees HERE.
We dare say you’ll see a fair few of the same names on the list again this time next year.
Featured Image — PFA/Khadija Bunny Shaw/Marcus Rashford (via Instagram)
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Phil Foden picks up Premier League Player of the Year for 2023/24
Danny Jones
Manchester City forward Phil Foden has picked up the Premier League’s Player of the Year award for the 2023/24 season.
Having enjoyed the best statistical campaign to date, with two games still left to play, the Stockport-born star City and England star has swept up his first-ever Premier League POTY award at the age of 23.
The attacking midfielder has already swept up Young Player of the Year twice in his career (2021 and 2022), which was awarded to former teammate Cole Palmer on Friday, and this accolade just goes to show how much of a first-team star he’s become over the past couple of years.
With both awards going to Manc footballers and Foden being the first Englishman to win it since Jamie Vardy in 2015/16, you’ll hear no complaints from us.
Foden has 25 goals and 11 assists this season, his highest tally ever, and with the chance of a domestic double still looming, he could be set for another unreal 12 months in sky blue.
Pep Guardiola’s side simply needs to beat West Ham this Sunday to win their fourth consecutive Premier League title and with a Manchester derby FA Cup final waiting for them next week, the local lad has a big fortnight ahead of him.
Having already become a treble winner with Man City last season, not to mention emerging as one of the first names on the team sheet for the Three Lions, he’s graduated from one of the most talented youngsters to one of the most impressive in Europe – and he’s got the stats to back it up.
Here’s hoping he can round off this year with some more silverware while wearing an England shirt. Here are some of his highlights from this season:
A huge congratulations to Phil Foden on winning the 23/24 Premier League Player of the Year; regardless of who you support, you can’t deny he’s been unreal this season.
In fact, his emergence as a senior figure and somewhat of a leader in this current City side has given us a lot faith for the summer and we’re more convinced than ever that Gareth Southgate must try and build around him if we stand a chance of going for in Euro 2024.
Is it coming home and will a lad from Stockport play a big part in bringing it here?
Cole Palmer wins Premier League’s Young Player of the Year for 2023/24
Danny Jones
Manchester-born and bred footballer, Cole Palmer, has won the Premier League’s Young Player of the Year award for 2023/24 following a spectacular breakthrough campaign.
The ex-Manchester City youth product made his big-money move to Chelsea at the start of this season and has been comfortably one of the best players in the league this year, once again proving the old adage that if you’re good enough you’re old enough.
Sitting second in the race for the Golden Boot behind former teammate Erling Haaland and shining as one of the most creative midfielders in Europe in his first full season, you could have banked on him winning it months ago.
🔵⭐️ OFFICIAL: Cole Palmer wins the award as Premier League Young Player of the Year. 🧊
Chelsea star has scored 22 goals and provided 10 assists in Premier League this season. pic.twitter.com/HYpthQiOU3
Having bagged a hattrick in Chelsea’s remarkable turnaround against Manchester United as well as bagging four against Everton, just to name a couple of his most impressive performances over the past 12 months, he doesn’t like a player who only made a handful of appearances last year.
With the 22-year-old fittingly netting 22 goals not to mention 10 assists and quickly establishing himself as Mauricio Pochettino’s main man, despite the multi-billion squad assembled around him, it’s been nothing short of a remarkable emergence onto the biggest stage.
Having earned his first senior international call-up through his efforts too, he now looks set to be one the players England fans are dying to see start at the Euros – the point where many Blues are now wondering whether they made a mistake letting him go.
Congratulations to the Wythenshawe native on his well-deserved award and we sincerely look forward to seeing what he does in an England shirt this summer.
As for who will pick up the outright Premier League Player of the Year, surely Palmer picking up the youth award means that Phil Foden is set to mop up the main prize?
A clean sweep for Manc footballers. We like the sound of that.