Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher agree seven players for Team of the Year, but Liverpool legend snubs Erling Haaland
Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher were at loggerheads over Erling Haaland in their personal picks for the Premier League Team of the Year.
Speaking on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football, the two experts gave their best XIs this season ahead of the end of the 2023/24 campaign on Sunday.
While Neville and Carragher were able to agree on seven players who were a direct fit, the other four were not so easy, including the league's current top scorer and city of manchester superstar Haaland.
Neville named Haaland as his number 9 in a 4-3-3 formation after scoring 25 goals in 29 league appearances; no player has more in the Premier League this season.
But Carragher went with Aston Villa ace Olivia Watkinswho has had an excellent campaign with 19 goals and 13 assists; That is, a total of 32 goals, two ahead of Haaland, whose five assists in addition to his 25 goals bring him to 30.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Liverpool Legend Carragher explained: “Well, the reason I would pick Ollie Watkins is because I think his numbers, there's not much difference in numbers when you put goals and assists together. He (Watkins) is playing for Aston Villa He (Haaland) plays for Manchester City.
“And actually, when I think about Erling Haaland This season, listen, we know you are the best striker, we understand that. But this season, I think in the most important games I have felt a little disappointed with Haaland.
“Maybe even a kind of Champions League against real Madridthe games against Arsenal, Liverpool also when facing truly elite defenders. “I think the elite defenders have outplayed them.”
Manchester United legend Neville tried to defend the Norwegian international and insisted: “You know what? Only when you have these players do you realize that he is a special player. One of the greatest in the world is a goalscorer.”
“In my opinion, his numbers will dominate world football for the next five, six or seven years. And he just has to be there.
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“You can think about giving someone else a chance, and that would be the emotional, compassionate way to look at it.
“But every centre-forward, every club in the league, if I could name a centre-forward, and they could pick one, I would name them.”
Away from Haaland, the two Sky Sports experts managed to find common ground between seven players from across the division.
In defense, there was unanimous agreement on Arsenal's pairing William Saliba and Gabriel while in the center of the field the trio of Rodri, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard They were chosen.
Later, Chelsea ace Cole Palmer and star of the city Phil Foden They occupied the positions on the wings.
However, where they differed was in goal: Neville chose Emi Martínez and Carragher had Jordan Pickford.
Carragher's 3-2-4-1 formation naturally meant there would be some differences in the choice of the Liverpool legend. Virgil van Dijk in defence, while Neville had Ben White and Destiny Udogie at full-back in his orthodox back four.
The extra midfielder made Carragher also choose Kevin de Bruyne accompany Odegaard in an attacking position, despite the Belgian missing a large part of the season.
So who makes your Premier League Team of the Year?
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