Sofascore works out who should win the player and young player of the season awards… with Man City star Erling Haaland only ranked FIFTH in the running to retain the main prize
With the nominees for the Premier League player and young player of the season awards being announced on Thursday, Sofascore have been quick to turnaround who statistically should win both awards.
Manchester City and Arsenal have dominated both shortlists with two players each in the eight-man list of nominations.
Stars from Liverpool, Aston Villa, Newcastle and Chelsea have also made the cut and are in the running for individual prizes this season.
Sofascore have decided who should win both award by their average rating across the 2023-24 Premier League season.
There is perhaps no surprise that Manchester City star Phil Foden tops both lists, as he averages a rating of 7.76 across the season.
Sofascore has worked out that Phil Foden should win both the player and young player of the season awards, based off his average ratings across the 2023-24 Premier League season
Cole Palmer (right) features in the top three of both lists after his stunning season at Chelsea
Defending player of the year Erling Haaland is only ranked fifth by Sofascore to retain his prize
Foden has been the star of the season for the reigning Premier League champions, with 16 goals and eight assists across 32 games.
His former team-mate and current Chelsea star Cole Palmer, is second in the player of the season running and third for the young player award, with an average rating of 7.71.
Despite not being included in the shortlist for player of the season, Arsenal star Bukayo Saka does get the nod for second place in the young player gong with a rating of 7.73.
However, his Arsenal team-mates Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice are ranked third and fourth in the list for the main prize.
Defending player of the year winner Erling Haaland is only fifth in the rankings to retain his award, while he’s also fourth to win in the young player category.
Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk was the only defender to be included in the player of the season shortlist, and he is sixth in Sofascore’s ratings, ahead of Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins and Newcastle forward Alexander Isak.
Isak is fifth in the ranking for the young player award, ahead of Arsenal’s William Saliba, Manchester United rookie Kobbie Mainoo and Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie.
It’s perhaps no surprise that Manchester City and Arsenal have dominated the shortlist for the two prizes as they battle it out to win the Premier League title.
Martin Odegaard is statistically the third best option for the main prize, with Saka second in the running to retain his young player of the season award
Virgil van Dijk is only sixth in Sofascore’s rankings to win the player of the year award
The Gunners hold a one point lead and they have two matches left to play, though City are still in the driving seat given that they have a game in hand.
Liverpool are five points off the top but it’s likely that mathematically their chances will be over this weekend.
Manchester City have dominated the Premier League player of the season award over the past four years, with Kevin De Bruyne winning twice, Ruben Dias taking the prize in 2021 and Haaland last year.
Should Foden be crowned the young player of the year, he will become the first to win it on three separate occasions after doing so in 2021 and 2022, before Saka took the award last year.
