Predicting the Premier League's PFA Team of the Year for 2015/16
It’s that time of the year again as the best players in the Premier League are feted a few weeks before the end of the season. While the league title race looks done and dusted thanks to Leicester City’s form in recent games, Tottenham Hotspur still have a chance of reeling them in if results go their way.
Arsenal and Manchester City are only in with a mathematical chance but it is highly unlikely that they can mount a challenge unless the Foxes and Spurs suffer a disastrous collapse.
The 43rd PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association) Awards will be held in London on 24 April 2015 with six players in contention for the PFA Player of the Year award. We take a look at which players could make the Team of the Year for the 2015/16 season.
Formation: 4-4-2
Goalkeeper
The goalkeeper’s position was a tough one to pick with four shot stoppers in contention. Arsenal’s only summer signing Petr Cech, Manchester United’s David De Gea, Stoke City’s Jack Butland and Manchester City’s Joe Hart have had a good season in the EPL this campaign.
Butland was unfortunate to suffer an injury on international duty. A fractured ankle might see him miss out on Euro 2016 after showing so much promise with the Potters this season.
Cech was also crucial to the Gunners’ early title charge that saw them top the table briefly in December-January period. Former teammate John Terry wasn’t joking when he said Cech would save ‘12 to 15 points’ a season and he did exactly that to help Wenger’s side win all three points on numerous occasions. But he has made two errors that have led to the Gunners conceding a goal.
Hart has also been instrumental as City’s last line of defence. But the results in the league with Pellegrini’s side failing to beat none of the other top six teams could see him out of favour.
Which leaves David De Gea in pole position to take home the award. The Spaniard has been seen as the sole reason for the Red Devils staying in the hunt for a top-four spot this season. Despite shoddy defending thanks to defenders playing out of position with Van Gaal’s tactics, he has made numerous saves to keep them in the hunt.
Without him, they may well have been in mid-table and struggling to qualify for even the Europa League.