Man City and Liverpool stars dominate the top-flight selection, with Manchester United also having one representative in the XI
Paul Pogba has joined Virgil van Dijk and Raheem Sterling in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year, with the Manchester United midfielder the only non-Liverpool or Manchester City player to be included in a star-studded XI.
The World Cup winner has faced questions over his consistency during the 2018-19 season, but the Frenchman has done enough to impress his peers with 13 goals and nine assists.
He is picked alongside City pair Fernandinho and Bernardo Silva in the midfield of the latest English top-flight selection.
Silva and his team-mates inflicted derby pain on United and Pogba in their most recent outing on Wednesday night, with Pep Guardiola’s side taking another positive step towards the defence of the record-breaking title they secured last season.
England winger Sterling has starred for the Blues in that quest, with a 17-goal return seeing him become a key man for club and country.
Premier League Team of the Year
The Dutchman, who was taken to Anfield in a £75 million ($97m) deal back in January 2018, has been a revelation on Merseyside.
His performances are considered to have contributed significantly to Jurgen Klopp’s side being in contention for a first league crown in 29 years with just three more fixtures to take in.
The Netherlands international is partnered at the heart of the PFA team’s defence by City star Aymeric Laporte.
Liverpool also fill the two full-back berths, with Andy Robertson on the left and Trent Alexander-Arnold lining up on the right.
Behind them, Ederson gets the nod over fellow Brazilian Alisson despite the City goalkeeper boasting fewer clean sheets than his fellow countryman at Anfield.
The remaining attacking berths are also split between star players from Merseyside and Manchester.
There are just three teams with players in the PFA #this season, the fewest in the history of the award since it began in 1973-74.
Sterling, who is predominantly used on the left by Guardiola, is included on the opposite flank in the PFA selection.
That is because Sadio Mane lines up in his favoured position.
The Liverpool forward has been a go-to man for the Reds at times this season, registering a personal best 18 Premier League goals.
That return has him just one behind Sergio Aguero in the race for the Golden Boot.
City’s star striker leads the line for the PFA side, with the Argentine edging out the likes of Mohamed Salah and Arsenal frontman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Chelsea talisman Eden Hazard is among the other notable absentees, with the Belgian overlooked despite recording 16 goals and claiming 13 assists, with him also making the six-man shortlist for the Player of the Year award.
Source: goal.com