PFA Awards Shortlists
PFA Player of the Year Shortlists Revealed: Fernandes, Arsenal Trio, Haaland, Shaw Lead Nominees
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The PFA has released its shortlist for the Men’s Players’ Player of the Year award, with Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes joined by Arsenal’s David Raya, Gabriel Magalhaes and Declan Rice, and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki. Fernandes, who won the Football Writers’ Association men’s player of the year award earlier in the month, is highlighted by his record-setting Premier League assist tally as the key driver behind United’s third-place finish and Champions League qualification. Arsenal’s trio are positioned as the counterweight from a title-winning side, while Haaland’s league-winning golden boot output and Cherki’s first Premier League season also feature in the debate. The winner will be honored on Tuesday, August 25, at the PFA Awards ceremony in Manchester, with last year’s men’s winner Mohamed Salah cited as a recent benchmark. The PFA Women’s Player of the Year shortlist also was announced, led by Manchester City duo Khadija “Bunny” Shaw and Yui Hasegawa alongside Arsenal’s Alessio Russo, Chelsea’s Lauren James, Manchester United’s Jess Park, and Aston Villa’s Kirsty Hanson, with the women’s winner set to be announced the same day.
Key Points
1
Bruno Fernandes’ Football Writers’ Association (FWA) win came with notable vote margins: he received 45% of the votes and edged out Arsenal’s Declan Rice by 28 votes; it was also the first time a Manchester United player had won the FWA prize since Wayne Rooney in 2010.
2
Fernandes’ Premier League output was described as record-breaking: he finished with 21 league assists (surpassing the mark previously held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne), and in another account totaled 20 assists plus eight goals—only the third player in Premier League history to reach 20 assists in a single campaign, alongside Henry and De Bruyne.
3
The BBC’s profile of the shortlist also gave the scoring benchmarks behind the discussion: Erling Haaland scored 27 league goals to win the golden boot, while last year’s men’s winner Mohamed Salah scored 29 times to help Liverpool win the Premier League.
4
The PFA Awards ceremony details were more specific than the headline date: the men’s winner will be honoured at The Opera House in Manchester, for the 53rd annual PFA Awards Ceremony.
5
For the women’s race, Khadija “Bunny” Shaw’s season was quantified: she scored a league-high 21 goals in 22 WSL matches as Manchester City won the WSL title for the second time; Yui Hasegawa was also highlighted as a key figure in City’s double with an FA Cup win.
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