AFP's Premier League Team of the Year - Capital Sports
Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

English Premiership

AFP’s Premier League Team of the Year

Manchester City celebrate their Premier League title triumph © AFP/File / Paul ELLIS

LONDON, United Kingdom, May 14After the 2017-18 Premier League season came to an end on Sunday, AFP Sports presents its Team of the Year, playing in a 4-3-3 formation:

Goalkeeper

David De Gea (Manchester United)

Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea © AFP/File / Glyn KIRK

The 27-year-old remains arguably the world’s top stopper and, with reported interest from Real Madrid, United boss Jose Mourinho has made it clear there is “no chance” he will allow the Spaniard to be sold this summer after another rock-solid season.

Defenders

Kyle Walker (Manchester City)

Manchester City defender Kyle Walker

The England right-back forced his way out of Tottenham last year because he felt City offered a better chance of winning silverware. The move paid rich dividends as Walker celebrated Premier League and League Cup triumphs while his old club finished empty-handed.

Jan Vertonghen (Tottenham)

Marshalled by the Belgium centre-back, Tottenham boasted one of the Premier League’s most imposing defences, prompting boss Mauricio Pochettino to declare: “He is one of the best in Europe. He looks like a 20-year-old because it is easy for him to run, he’s like my new dog!”

Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says he does not expect to see the best of Van Dijk until next season. That should be a daunting prospect for opposing strikers after the Dutch centre-back’s superb form following a £75 million ($102 million) move from Southampton in January that made him the world’s most expensive defender.

Ashley Young (Manchester United)

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Operating mainly at left-back, Young has emerged as an integral figure in United’s defence after successfully making the transition from his previous role on the wing. “For the last couple of seasons, there were lots of doubts. He is now an important member of our squad,” Mourinho said.

Midfielders

Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)

Manchester City’s Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne

Although he was pipped to the PFA player of the year award by Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, De Bruyne finished the season widely rated as the driving force behind City’s title success. “Maybe in numbers there are guys better than him, but no there is no better player in this season. For me he was the best,” City manager Pep Guardiola said.

Christian Eriksen (Tottenham)

“Now you know why I call him ‘Golazo’,” grinned Pochettino as he saluted Eriksen’s sublime contribution to a 3-1 victory that secured Tottenham’s first success at Chelsea for 28 years.

Eriksen is Tottenham’s chief creator but, as he showed against Chelsea, he can also conjure superb goals. “You can see he is so important for us. Eriksen makes the team play,” Pochettino added.

David Silva (Manchester City)

Manchester City’s Spanish midfielder David Silva

While other City stars may have hogged the spotlight, Silva is the quiet catalyst for their success.

The diminutive Spaniard’s metronomic passing makes the champions tick and, recognising a tenacious spirit that belies his diminutive stature, Guardiola hailed him as “a huge competitor”.

Forwards

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

 

Harry Kane (Tottenham)

For all the jokes about Kane’s successful appeal to have a goal credited to him instead of Eriksen recently, it is that ruthless nature that makes the England international “the world’s best striker” according to Pochettino. Kane was at his deadly best throughout another impressive campaign that saw him break Alan Shearer’s Premier League record by reaching 39 goals in a calendar year.

Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah won the Golden Boot for his record 32 Premier League goals

The Egypt ace enjoyed an incredible debut season with Liverpool as he rewrote the record books with a goal blitz that makes his £34 million price tag look like the bargain of the century.

Salah’s arrival from Roma was greeted with ambivalence after a lacklustre spell with Chelsea, but just nine months later his astonishing 44-goal haul, featuring a record 32 in the league, has catapulted the 25-year-old to superstar status.

Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

Aguero, already idolised for his famous title-winning goal in 2012, was enshrined forever as a City legend after becoming the club’s record goalscorer this season. And the Argentine insists Guardiola deserves the credit for his prolific form. “Being able to adapt to Pep’s playing style has a large contributing factor in my form this season,” he said.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.
Advertisement

More on Capital Sports

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 27 – DStv and GOtv subscribers are in for a treat of the world’s best football this week as the 2020-21...

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 25 – There is light at the end of the tunnel. After failed promises over the last three years since its...

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 6 – Gentrix Shikangwa scored with two minutes left as Vihiga Queens sailed to the final of the CECAFA regional qualifiers...

NFL

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 13 – Kenya’s history making Daniel Adongo, the first Kenyan to play in America’s National Football League (NFL), is now living...

© 2024 Capital Digital Media. Capital Group Limited. All Rights Reserved