SEASON AWARDS

This is taken from the accumulative weekly award winners throughout the season

TEAM: MANCHESTER CITY

Much like the Premier League season. This was a two horse race with City and Liverpool ahead of everyone. And much like the season, City just had too much for Liverpool, with an impressive eight weekly awards, which is a new record for team weekly awards by just one, which was previously held by Liverpool since 2014. The aforementioned Liverpool came second with six weekly awards with surprisingly, Watford and Arsenal in joint third with three awards each. 

GOALKEEPER: NEIL ETHERIDGE (Cardiff)

Another who won the weekly award on the last day of the season to win the season award. Although Cardiff were relegated, he obviously gave a good account of himself and we may be seeing him in the league next season with another club. In a tight race. He took this by winning five awards. From joint second Man Utd’s David De Gea and Wolves’ Rui Patricio with four awards. In joint third with three awards each came Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris and Burnley Tom Heaton who only played barely half a season. 

DEFENDER: VIRGIL VAN DIJK (Liverpool)

This was the tightest category of them all with two payers finishing on four awards. Equalling the season award record for a defender. However, I gave it to the Liverpool man, not only because he was named player of the season but his four weekly awards was more evenly spaced across the course of the season. In second who also notched four awards was Leicester’s Harry Maguire, however, three of his awards came early in the season. But a tremendous achievement nevertheless. In third with three awards was Brighton’s Lewis Dunk. Special mention for Man Utd’s Luke Shaw and Cardiff’s Sol Bamba, who were the only defenders to win two awards. 

MIDFIELDER: DECLAN RICE (West Ham)

The season awards always brings up surprises and in the category that traditionally has the most competition and winners. It threw up another. West Ham’s young midfielder took this award by being the only midfielder to win three awards in a break out season. Joint second with two awards each were Everton’s Sigurdsson. West Ham’s Filipe Anderson. Arsenal’s Torreira and Palace’s Zaha, who won back to back awards in the last two weeks of the season. There were 23 individual midfield winners who came in joint third with one award. 

FORWARD: SERGIO AGUERO (Man City)

This one maybe a surprise, but not sure why and it is an indication of how he is always overlooked and taken for granted, despite consistently performing to a very high level. He was the only forward to win four awards this season and fully deserved with some vital goals. In joint second came Liverpool’s Mane and Chelsea’s Hazard with three awards. Hazard also had one midfielder award. With Fulham’s Mitrovic. Man Utd’s Lukaku. West Ham’s Arnautovic. Man City’s Sterling and Arsenal’s Aubameyang joint third with two awards each. 

MANAGER: PEP GUARDIOLA (Man City)

The Man City manager Guardiola topped this ahead of everyone with six awards. Although it may come as a surprise, as he had amassed the most expensive squad in Premier League history, it was his management of the individuals in that squad that set him apart. Even more surprising was the Southampton manager Ralph Hassenhuttl coming second with four awards, in just five months at Southampton, which bodes well for the Saints for next season. Joint third with three awards each was Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp and Wolves’ Nuno Espirito Santo who took his team from promotion to European qualification. 

UNSUNG HERO: BERNARDO SILVA (Man City)

Typically one of the more closely contested season award categories. It was no different this season with only three players winning more than one unsung hero award throughout the season. However, I opted for the Man City man who in a team of expensive stars, become the unlikely talisman and go to guy, making himself more or less impossible to drop. He might well have been the champions’ most consistent performer over the season. The two other players to win two unsung hero awards were Liverpool’s James Milner and Tottenham’s Kieran Trippier. 

GAME1: WOLVES 4-3 LEICESTER

Wolves scored early when Jimenez fed Moutinho on the right and from his ball in Jota stole a yard in front the defender to volley home (4). Wolves were soon two up when Bennett powered in Moutinho’s corner (12). In the second half, Leicester pulled a goal back early after good work from Vardy who sent Gray running at the defender to beat him, then the keeper at an angle, into the far post (47). Leicester were then level then Coady unfortunately deflected Barnes’ shot past his own keeper (51). Wolves then regained the lead when Neves played a lovely searching ball for Jota to run onto, take down on his chest and fire past Schmeichel (64). Leicester was again level three minutes from time when Morgan headed in Maddison’s cross from the right (87). Wolves then won the game in dramatic fashion when Neves played a pinpoint cross field ball between two Leicester players to Jimenez. He then squared for Jota coming in to finish, first time at the near post (90+3). 

GAME2: WEST HAM 4-3 HUDDERSFIELD

Noble opened the scoring from the spot when Lanzini was fouled and the captain made no mistake (15). Huddersfield were quickly level when Bacuna headed in Mooy’s right sided corner (17). Huddersfield then took the lead when Grant swept Lowe’s cross from the left inside the post (30). In the second half. Huddersfield got a superb third when Grant collected the ball inside the West Ham half, rolled his marker, beat another defender and unleashed a thunderous effort into the top corner (65). West Ham pulled a goal back when Ogbonna powered in Cresswell’s corner from the left (75). With only six minutes to go, Hernandez equalised when he was left all alone in the box and he made no mistake with a diving header from Nasri’s cross (84). The come back was then complete when Hernandez flicked in Filipe Anderson’s cross, for a dramatic late victory (90). 

GAME3: NEWCASTLE 2-3 LIVERPOOL 

Liverpool took the early lead from a corner when Alexander-Arnold swung the ball in from the right for Van Dijk, unmarked, to power a header down and into the net (13). Newcastle were level when Ritchie on the left, collected a cross from the right and drove the ball back in the box for Rondon to strike at goal. Alexander-Arnold seemed to block on the line with his arm. With the Newcastle players appealing for a penalty. Atsu was on hand to tap in the rebound (20). Liverpool were soon back in front when Sturridge back heeled by the right corner flag, for Alexander-Arnold, whose first time cross found Salah moving back, to expertly touch in with the inside of his right foot (28). In the second half, Newcastle equalised following a right-sided corner which was headed out, only for Manquillo to head back in the box for Rondon to finish superbly on the volley, into the bottom corner (54). Liverpool won it late when Shaqiri swung in a free kick from the right and Origi was on hand to nod home, with the aid of defender Lascelles (86).

GOAL1: ANDROS TOWNSEND (Crystal Palace) v Man City

While the game was locked at 1-1 and in the balance. A free kick was played into the box from the left, which was first headed up into the air, then headed just out of the box to the waiting Townsend, 30 yards out. With no hesitation, as the ball dropped out the sky. Townsend let fly with a superb, first time, left footed volley with exquisite technique, delivering pace, power and accuracy that rocketed into the top corner, giving the keeper absolutely no chance. 

GOAL2: EDEN HAZARD (Chelsea) v West Ham

Hazard received the ball in the middle of the pitch, inside the West Ham half a few yards from the semi-circle. Started with a quick Cruyff and drove towards goal. He cut inside one defender on his right foot, then sprinted past another. With two further defenders in front of him, he jinxed past one, then cut back to the left past another. Then as he got inside the box and another defender closed in, he lashed home with his left foot. 

GOAL3: VINCENT KOMPANY (Man City) v Leicester

With the time ticking down and Leicester dropping deep to defend and Man City losing ground in the title race. Midway in the Leicester half. Laporte rolled a ball square to Kompany. The captain slowly moved forward. Nobody closed him down. With space in front of him, from all of 30 yards out. He unleashed a thunderous strike, that flew into the top corner of the net, giving the keeper absolutely no chance. 

FOOL: MANCHESTER UNITED

Although Fulham received three fool awards and Man Utd finished on two. I overwhelmingly gave the season fool award to United, for the simple fact that along with their two team awards. They also received five individual fool awards for Mourinho, Rashford, Young, Solskjaer and De Gea. Where as Fulham received only one individual fool award for their keeper Rico. United had a disastrous season with all their players underperforming prompting many former players to publicly criticise them. They missed out on Champions League qualification and seem to be in full free fall over the course of the season, finishing with an away draw to relegated Huddersfield then a home defeat to relegated Cardiff. They also finished the season with only two clean sheets at Old Trafford.  FOOLS!