Carragher names his three Player of the Year contenders and who will win award
Jamie Carragher has tipped Phil Foden, Declan Rice and Virgil van Dijk to be the three contenders for the Player of the Year award this season.
The trio are all key parts of teams who are chasing the Premier League title, with Van Dijk captaining leaders Liverpool, Foden starring for second-placed Manchester City and Rice at the heart of third-placed Arsenal's midfield.
Carragher has now revealed how impressed he has been with the trio as he analysed each player's candidacy for the individual award of the season. He insisted Foden is currently "England's best player", though admitted other City stars could take his place.
That is something that sets him back against Van Dijk and Rice, who are integral to their teams. But Carragher did concede that the young City star is the favourite to be named Player of the Season.
"All three player of the year contenders are the main contributors driving their sides forward, the consistently outstanding performers in a high-level run of form which shows no sign of stopping," Carragher told the Daily Telegraph.
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"The difference between City, Liverpool and Arsenal is this: take Van Dijk or Rice out of their side, and neither club would be contenders. City would still be thriving without Foden. I have long championed Foden. In terms of pure talent, he is England’s best player.
"Arsenal are five points worse off than this time last year, and yet they are a better side; more structurally sound and resilient. There is no expectation they will falter as they did at this point 12 months ago. Rice is the most significant reason for that, adding a steeliness to the team’s spine.
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Carragher believes Manchester City star Phil Foden is the current favourite (PA)"Van Dijk has been the league’s best centre-back for six years. If I was having a bet, my money would follow my head and be on Foden. Most neutrals and England fans will be hoping for Rice. I don’t need to say what my heart is saying."
Foden boosted his chances of being crowned Player of the Year by scoring twice in City's win over Manchester United last week. City were a goal down when the midfielder fired in a superb equaliser.
He then finished off a neat team move to hand his side the lead, with Erling Haaland wrapping up the win. After that game, Foden insisted it "meant everything" to be the derby hero.
“I understand what it means for the fans in the derby at the Etihad. It means everything. To score as well is even better but it was about the win today," the England international said. “That’s my aim. To turn up in the big games, that’s what I want to do and I think this season I’m proving that by putting performances like that in. So yeah I’ll keep working hard.”
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