Phil Foden is being predicted as the Player of the Season, with Peter Crouch praising Cole Palmer as a standout performer.
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In the race for the 2023/24 Premier League Player of the Year award, there are strong cases being made for several contenders. Ally McCoist believes that Phil Foden should be the frontrunner, while Peter Crouch is leaning towards Martin Odegaard or Cole Palmer.
The nominations for the award were recently announced, and McCoist and Crouch discussed their choices ahead of Manchester City’s match against Fulham. The title race is heating up, and the game will be broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
The list of contenders includes Odegaard, Palmer, Declan Rice, Foden, Erling Haaland, Alexander Isak, Ollie Watkins, and Virgil van Dijk. Rice has been influential in Arsenal’s midfield since his £100 million move from West Ham, while Odegaard has played a key role in Arsenal’s pursuit of their first title in 20 years.
Haaland is once again leading the goalscoring charts, and Foden has stepped up in the absence of Kevin De Bruyne to have his best goalscoring season. Palmer has been excellent for Chelsea as they make a late charge for a European finish, and Van Dijk has been solid in Liverpool’s defense, keeping their slim title hopes alive.
Both Watkins and Isak have been prolific in front of goal, with 19 and 20 league goals respectively. However, only one player can win the award, and McCoist is finding it difficult to look past Foden, who has scored 16 goals and provided eight assists as City close in on their fourth consecutive title.
Crouch believes that Foden has a good chance of winning the award, but thinks it could go to Odegaard if Arsenal manage to lift the Premier League trophy. He also highlights Palmer as a standout performer in a struggling team.
The Manager of the Season award sees both Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola shortlisted. McCoist believes that the title-winning manager should receive the award, leaning towards Guardiola if City secure their fourth consecutive title. However, Crouch feels that Arteta deserves recognition for the job he has done at Arsenal, especially considering their underdog status.
With two or three games left in the season, the race for both the Player of the Year and Manager of the Season awards is still open. The performances in the remaining matches could ultimately determine the winners.