5 players who could have been shortlisted for Premier League end of season awards
With the end of the Premier League season about to smack us in the face, it's time to recognise the players who have stood head and shoulders above the competition for the past nine months.
Manchester City and Arsenal have comfortably been the division's two best sides, so there's perhaps no surprise that they have a number of players up for the Premier League's official end of season awards.
Erling Haaland, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard are nominated for both the Premier League Player of the Season award and Premier League Young Player of the Season award - the less we say about a 24-year-old being in contention for the latter award the better.
Nevertheless, there's no denying the Norwegian, and every other player nominated, have had outstanding campaigns.
But are there some players that have been overlooked who were perhaps more worthy because of their individual contributions during 2022/23? It's impossible to answer that as a matter of fact, but 90min have rustled up five players who could certainly be a little miffed at being passed by.
Bruno Guimaraes
Club: Newcastle
Potential award nomination: Player of the Season
Newcastle's phenomenal season is likely to secure a return to the Champions League after a 20-year absence - barring an absolutely disastrous finish to the season - and a large proportion of the plaudits need to not only go the way of manager Eddie Howe and players Kieran Trippier and Alexander Isak, but also to midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.
The Magpies knew they had signed a special player in the 2022 January transfer window and this season has seen Howe unlock all of the qualities in Bruno's game. The Brazilian has been immaculate in the middle of the park, raising the performance levels of all those around him while dictating the tempo by serenely stroking the ball around.
Crisp, calm and cool under pressure, Bruno's consistency and ability to control games has been huge for Newcastle and, frankly, is unquantifiable in the modern statistic-led world we live in.
William Saliba
Club: Arsenal
Potential award nomination: Young Player of the Season
Arsenal's Premier League title challenge can only be admired because of what was expected of them pre-season – a place in the top four if Mikel Arteta got them going.
Some 15 points ahead of where they'd need to be to achieve Champions League qualification, Arsenal now look likely to come second to Manchester City in the race for the ultimate prize, but things could have been very different had William Saliba stayed fit.
Instead, the Frenchman picked up a back injury in Arsenal's Europa League tie with Sporting CP, and hasn't been seen since.
The Gunners have picked up just 15 points from a possible 27 in his absence, winning just four of nine games – a run, despite the ongoing brilliance of Saka, Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli, that has cost them dear and highlighted just how important Saliba was.
Mohamed Salah
Club: Liverpool
Potential award nomination: Player of the Season
By their own very high standards, Liverpool have been well, well below their best.
By Mohamed Salah's own very high standards, he has been well, well below his best.
But park that to one side and look at the facts. Liverpool could still force their way into next season's Champions League, because of a terrific run of form, and the majority of their troubles can be put down to injuries and an exceptionally weak midfield.
Salah has actually been the one constant Liverpool have been able to rely on, and his 29 goal contributions (19 goals and ten assists) is second only to Erling Haaland.
Declan Rice
Club: West Ham
Potential award nomination: Young Player of the Season
Things aren't looking particularly pretty for West Ham upon a quick glance at the Premier League table, so is there any really surprise that Declan Rice isn't in contention for the Young Player of the Season award?
No, not really, given awards tends to be geared around teams doing particularly well (Scott Parker, 2011 FWA Footballer of the Year in a relegated West Ham team aside).
But you could easily make an individual argument for Rice being nominated. West Ham have lost 19 games, sure, but the 24-year-old has been absolutely outstanding all season – he wouldn't have Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool all wanting to sign him if he hadn't.
He's made the most interceptions this season (62), the third-highest number of passes into the final third (54) and has chucked in a number of 9/10 performances when it's really mattered.
Rodri
Club: Manchester City
Potential award nomination: Player of the Season
Manchester City's march towards a third consecutive Premier League title has picked up speed in recent weeks, with Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and even John Stones taking centre stage.
But one of the real unsung heroes for City has been sitting at the base of midfield for the best part of four seasons, metronomically ticking things over while the club's more exuberant players do the business a little further forward.
That's not to say Rodri doesn't have qualities in the final third - he's popped up with the odd classy goal here or there - but his skillset is best suited to keeping City in complete control – something the Spaniard does with effortless ease.
Only Lewis Dunk (pardon?) has completed more Premier League passes than Rodri during 2022/23, and nobody has made more progressive passes or passes into the final third.