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Premier League Team of the Season: Salah snubbed as Hazard, Van Dijk & Sterling star

Ederson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Laporte, Robertson; Bernardo, Fernandinho, Hazard; Sterling, Aguero, Mane

HOW OUR TEAM LINES UP

The most consistent of Liverpool’s much-vaunted front three all season long, Mane plundered goals at key times and was the Reds’ go-to man down the home stretch in particular. The Senegal captain got 22 goals in the league in all as City went toe to toe with Manchester City right down to the final day of the season. It was his best season to date and he deserves to be spoken about in the world class bracket.

SADIO MANE

He was on hand to score the vital equaliser against Brighton but worked hard all season long, netting 21 times in all for the champions. That scoring run included hat-tricks against Arsenal and Chelsea, as well as vital strikes against Burnley, Manchester United and Liverpool. When it counted most, Aguero could be relied upon. His four Premier League titles and five consecutive seasons of scoring 20-plus goals should now mark him out as the top flight’s greatest-ever front-man.

SERGIO AGUERO

The Football Writers’ Player of the Year this season, Sterling goes from strength to strength under Guardiola. He looks such an assured attacker in terms of his all-round game that it is easy to forget he is still only 24. He scored 17 times and assisted another 12 for City this season, contributing at the right time over and over again for the title winners. His improvement has been phenomenal during his time at City and he is now the complete package.

RAHEEM STERLING

Surely off to Real Madrid after a stellar personal year at Chelsea and the announcement of his probable departure. He stayed put last summer when a transfer looked inevitable and has outgrown Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea currently no better than a Europa League team. He has been involved in a staggering 16 goals and 15 assists this season for Maurizio Sarri’s side, who have struggled to conjure any sort of magic without the Belgium captain.

EDEN HAZARD

Guardiola has found it exceedingly difficult to find a replacement in the transfer market for the Brazilian, whose importance to the City effort might be finally on the wane as he faces injury trouble. However, he remains a non-negotiable presence in City’s strongest line-up when fit and it’s no coincidence that two of their four defeats in the league came when Fernandinho was unavailable.

FERNANDINHO

From bit-part player last season to indispensable this time around, Bernardo Silva was arguably the best player in the best team this country has ever seen. For much of the season, City were without Kevin De Bruyne as their creative hub but Bernardo ensured he wouldn’t be missed. He chipped in with the goal against Manchester United in the derby towards the end of the season, and was the star in other big games against United and Liverpool too.

BERNARDO SILVA

The Scotland captain’s stock continues to rise and rise after his most consistent season to date. He contributed 11 assists and was one of the league’s most productive players as Liverpool pushed Manchester City all the way in the race for the Premier League title. In an age of record-breaking transfer sums, Liverpool pulled off one of the signings of the century in picking him up from Hull City for £8m.

ANDY ROBERTSON

The final piece of the jigsaw in a defensive sense for Guardiola and Manchester City. Laporte is the man who gets City going in a possession sense and rarely loses out one on one in his duels. He has chipped in with a couple of key goals and some assists this season as well, including the crucial go-ahead goal at Brighton.

AYMERIC LAPORTE

Now rightly in contention for the title of best central defender in the world, Van Dijk was deservedly rewarded for his dominance and consistency with the PFA Player of the Year award this season. Eyebrows were raised at a £75 million price tag but he already looks like a bargain. If there is a weakness in his game, the rest of the league is yet to find it.

VIRGIL VAN DIJK

The young Liverpudlian has set a new record for the number of assists provided by a Premier League defender in any given season. That is no mean feat for a 20-year-old and Alexander-Arnold was no less solid for it in a defensive capacity. Liverpool had the best goals against record in the league and a large part of their title challenge was predicated on what Alexander-Arnold could do down the right.

TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD

There is very little to pick between Ederson and his Liverpool counterpart Alisson Becker, who starts ahead of the City man for Brazil. A case could be made for either, considering each was integral to their respective teams’ charge towards the title. Alisson might have claimed the Golden Gloves for most clean sheets but Ederson’s kicking – short or long – gives him the slightest advantage over his fellow countryman in this list. His style of football is a perfect match for Pep Guardiola.

EDERSON

Manchester City claimed their second successive Premier League title at the Amex Stadium on Sunday courtesy of a 4-1 win but much of the heavy lifting had been done throughout the season. Consequently, plenty of Pep Guardiola’s men are honoured in our team of the season. Runners-up Liverpool pushed City all the way with their 97-point total becoming the third-highest in the history of English football. Likewise, they have strong representation. That doesn’t leave a lot of room for outsiders to crash the top two.

PREMIER LEAGUE TEAM OF THE SEASON

Premier League Team of the Season: Salah snubbed as Hazard, Mane & Sterling star | Goal.com

Manchester City are the first team in a decade to retain the title and Liverpool pushed them all the way with players on both sides impressive