Top 5 candidates for the 2014/15 PFA Player of the Year award

The 2014/15 Premier League season is nearing its climax with just seven more games to go in what has been a thrilling season. We’ve witnessed some players rise to stardom; new signings hitting the ground running and the usual suspects showing their class yet again.And now it’s almost time for judgment day. Who has been the best player in the 2014/15 season of the Barclays Premier League? Who is next in line to join a league of legends like Thierry Henry, John Terry, Steven Gerrard, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs, Gareth Bale, Robin Van Persie and Luis Suarez as the next PFA Player of the Year?Here is our take on the Top 5 candidates for this year’s award which will be announced on 26 April. Honourable Mentions: Sergio Aguero and Nemanja Matic

#1 Eden Hazard - Chelsea

This is Eden Hazard’s third season in the Premier League and he was included in the shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year in his first two seasons but came up short. Maybe third time’s a charm.

Hazard lost out to Gareth Bale for both the Player of the Year award as well as the Young player of the year award in the 2012/13 season, but he was included in the Team of the year. Last season he lost out to Luis Suarez who took home the Player of the Season award, but he won the young player of the year award and so this time around the Belgian will be hoping to go one step further and win both awards like Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale before him.

The Belgian has been the most consistent performer for Chelsea this season and he has now become an indispensable member of Jose Mourinho’s squad amidst rumours of interest from other clubs. The 24-year-old has scored 12 goals this season and has provided 7 assists as well, but his impact on the game cannot be assessed by goals and assists alone.

His insane close control and dribbling skills make it difficult for opposition players and this often draws his marker out of position or even brings in an extra defender to deal with him. The advantage of this is that it often leaves space for his teammates to run into and gives his side greater attacking threat.

Hazard is the Premier League’s most successful dribbler and is second in Europe in that list, just behind Lionel Messi and that alone is a testament to his ability.