Manchester City are on course to claim their first Premier League title in more than two decades, and their fortunes have been turned by a handful of players who have stood out in the title race. Kevin de Bruyne is one of those players, and he believes his form has partly been driven by his mindset, with the Belgium international adopting a positive outlook in the wake of an injury-ravaged 2017-18 campaign.
The Premier League is gearing up for another season, and once again, Pep Guardiola and Manchester City are in the running to be the league’s best. So, who has the best individual players in the league this year? We are going to find out this week with the PFA Team of the Year announcement, and here is how the City players look as the five nominated from their club and five from other teams.
As one of the stars of last season’s Manchester City side, Kevin de Bruyne has been rewarded for his performances with a place in the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) Premier League Team of the Year, The PFA’s shortlist of 35 players was announced on Thursday morning (March 22nd 2017).
Manchester United’s Luke Shaw and Tottenham’s Son Heung-Min have been included in the PFA Premier League team of the year for 2020-21, with Manchester City dominating. Six players from the winning Premier League team – Ederson, Joao Cancelo, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gündogan – were chosen by their teammates. United’s Bruno Fernandes is also taking his time. Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, who have scored 23 and 22 league goals respectively, are on the list. Despite winning the Champions League, reaching the FA Cup final and finishing fourth in the Premier League, no Chelsea player is on the list. Manchester City win the 2020-21 Premier League with a 12-point lead
There is no place in the squad for City midfielder Phil Foden, 21, who played 50 games in all competitions during the 2020-21 season and helped the club win the Premier League and the Carabao Cup and reach the Champions League final. Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who led Leicester City to their first FA Cup triumph, is also absent. The PFA Team of the Year was voted for by members of the Professional Footballers’ Association, the players’ union. Belgian midfielder De Bruyne is the only player to retain his place in the 2019-20 squad.
GOLKEEPER – Ederson (Man City)
Ederson kept a clean sheet 19 times in the Premier League in the 2020-21 season. Did you know that? Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson (27) is the first goalkeeper to score the most goals in consecutive Premier League seasons since former City goalkeeper Joe Hart did so three years in a row (2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13).
DEFENDER
Joao Cancelo (Man City) Joao Cancelo moved from Juventus to City for £60 million in August 2019. Did you know that? Portuguese defender Cancelo, 27, has created 1.6 chances in 90 minutes of open play in the 2020-21 Premier League season – the best figure among defenders with at least 15 appearances. John Stones (Man City) John Stones made 22 Premier League appearances during the 2020-21 season, scoring four goals.
Did you know that? Manchester City have only conceded 12 goals in the 1,934 minutes the 27-year-old has played in the Premier League. He faced one goal against in 161 minutes on the field – the best of any player on the team. Ruben Diaz (Man City) Ruben Dias joined City from Benfica for £65 million in September 2020.
Did you know that? Manchester City have conceded 0.7 goals per game in 32 Premier League games with 24-year-old Portuguese defender Dias, and 1.8 goals per game in the six games he has missed. Luke Shaw (Man Utd) Luke Shaw (right) has been with United for seven seasons.
Did you know that? England defender Shaw (25) has created 72 chances for Manchester United in the Premier League in the 2020-21 season, behind Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold (77).
MIDFIELD
Kevin de Bruyne (Man City) Kevin de Bruyne has won three Premier League titles, an FA Cup and five League Cups since joining City in 2015. Did you know that? Belgian midfielder De Bruyne, 29, has delivered 12 assists in just 2,001 minutes of Premier League action in the 2020-21 season, an average of one assist per 167 minutes. Ilkay Gündogan (Man City) Ilkay Gündogan moved to Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund in June 2016.
Did you know that? German midfielder Gündogan, 30, has scored 13 league goals in the 2020-21 season, more than double his previous record of six in the 2018-19 season. His 12 non-penalty goals are the most for a midfielder in a single Premier League season since Dele Alli in 2016/17 (also 12). Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd) Bruno Fernandes has yet to win a trophy for United since his January 2020 transfer from Sporting Lisbon.
Did you know that? Portuguese Fernandes, 26, has scored 18 goals and provided 12 assists in the Premier League during the 2020-21 season – his 30 goals and assists are the most for a Manchester United player in one competition since Robin van Persie in 2012-13.
FORWARD
Harry Kane (Tottenham) Harry Kane has scored 166 goals in 245 Premier League games. Did you know that? The 27-year-old England captain was directly involved in 37 Premier League goals in the 2020-21 season (23 goals, 14 assists), seven more than any other player in the league (Bruno Fernandes, 30). Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) Mohamed Salah (left) has scored 97 goals in 158 Premier League games.
Did you know that? Egyptian striker Salah, 28, has scored more than 20 goals for the third time this Premier League season. Son Heung-min (Tottenham) Tottenham signed Son Heung-Min from German club Bayer Leverkusen in 2015.
Did you know that? South Korean striker Son, 28, has scored nine goals from five yards or more with the ball in the 2020-21 Premier League season, the most of any player.
This season has belonged to Kevin de Bruyne. The Belgian has been in sensational form, scoring 12 goals for his club and more importantly, pulling the strings for City in the midfield. He’s a joy to watch and a nightmare for the opposition, with his combination of vision and creativity making him a hugely influential player.. Read more about pfa player of the year 2020/21 and let us know what you think.
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