Carragher backs Man Utd man for POTY, Neville disagrees

Rob McCarthy

Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville have disagreed on who they think should win the Premier League Player of the Year award.

Riyad Mahrez was named Player of the Year in April last year after guiding Leicester to their improbable title triumph.

Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante, who starred for the Foxes last season, is the current bookmakers’ favourite, and is joined in the running by Blues team-mates Eden Hazard and Diego Costa, Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Arsenal frontman Alexis Sanchez.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Carragher and Neville discussed their favourites for the award, with the latter opting for Kante.

“I actually said before the show, I think he should win Player of the Year,” Neville said. “His impact upon the two teams that he’s had in the two seasons have been absolutely incredible.

“I think what he’s left at Leicester and what Chelsea have gained. When you watch him in a game he’s infectious, he’s all over the pitch.

“It could be that the Chelsea votes are spread among certain players – [Eden] Hazard, [Diego] Costa, Kante – it can happen like that and sometimes someone else can come through.

“Kante, for me, should probably be the Player of the Year.”

Carragher, however, opted for a different option.

“With Chelsea, I think you could make an argument for David Luiz, Costa, Hazard and, of course, Kante,” he said. “Listen, [Kante’s] just been an absolute sensation in the Premier League; he’s hardly lost a game in almost two seasons.

“But I just think with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, it’s more his age – listen, his performances have been brilliant – you could say Kante has surpassed him with performances, but it’s very close.

“It’s more that he alone at Manchester United – one of the biggest clubs in the world – has been by far their best player, whereas I feel it’s been four or five different players [at Chelsea].

“He’s won that [EFL] Cup final and centre-forward’s the most difficult place to play, and he’s delivered at 35 years of age.

“I think it’s a phenomenon what he’s actually doing at a club of that size.”