Jordan Henderson among five Liverpool players in PFA team of the year
Jordan Henderson leads a five-strong Liverpool contingent in the Professional Footballers’ Association’s Premier League team of the year.
Captain Henderson steered the Reds to their first top-flight title in 30 years as boss Jurgen Klopp’s men racked up a mammoth 99 points over the 2019/20 term – some 18 more than closest challengers Manchester City.
England midfielder Henderson scooped the Football Writers’ Association’s player of the year award, and has followed that up with inclusion in the all-star XI selected by his Premier League peers.
Marauding full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson, talismanic centre-back Virgil Van Dijk and flying forward Sadio Mane complete the heavy Anfield influence on the team of the 2019/20 season.
There was no place, however, for either their goalkeeper Alisson, or striker Mo Salah.
Manchester City’s Ederson claimed the golden glove award for the most clean sheets with 16, but Burnley’s Nick Pope got the players’ vote between the posts.
Pope pulled off a robust return of 15 clean sheets in a stellar campaign for Sean Dyche’s side.
Leicester defender Caglar Soyuncu’s fine form in helping the Foxes to a fifth-place finish saw him win a place in the XI’s back four, with Manchester City duo David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne slotting into midfield alongside Henderson.
Jamie Vardy scooped the Premier League golden boot with 23 goals, and the Leicester forward was duly voted into a three-man forward line.
Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang completes the striking department having registered 22 league goals for the Gunners.
Southampton’s Danny Ings can count himself unfortunate to have missed out, having matched Aubameyang’s league haul in an impressive season.
Chelsea boast six players in the select XI from the Women’s Super League – the most from any one club in any of the PFA divisional teams of the season.
Emma Hayes’ side completed the WSL and League Cup double, and have duly received major respect from their peers.
Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger is selected behind three Blues defenders – Maren Mjelde, Millie Bright and Magdalena Eriksson – with Ji So-yun and Beth England also in the line-up.
Arsenal have Leah Williamson, Kim Little and Vivianne Miedema in the XI, while Manchester City’s Caroline Weir and Chloe Kelly made up the selection.
Championship winners Leeds earned four representatives, with midfielder Kalvin Phillips joining defensive trio Luke Ayling, Ben White and Liam Cooper.
Brentford’s attacking duo Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma make the cut, with Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic completing the strike force.
Coventry’s triumph in League One saw Mark Robbins’ side receive four selections, in goalkeeper Marko Marosi, defender Fankaty Dabo, midfielder Liam Walsh and striker Matt Godden.
Alex Palmer, Antoni Sarcevic and Danny Mayor were all voted into the League Two team of the year for their exploits with Plymouth.
Swindon duo Eoin Doyle and Jerry Yates won through up front, while Charlie Goode and Nicky Adams made the cut from Northampton.
Premier League team of the year: Nick Pope (Burnley), Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil Van Dijk (both Liverpool), Caglar Soyuncu (Leicester), Andrew Robertson (Liverpool), David Silva (Manchester City), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Jamie Vardy (Leicester), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal), Sadio Mane (Liverpool).
Women’s Super League team of the year: Ann-Katrin Berger, Maren Mjelde (both Chelsea), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Millie Bright, Magdalena Eriksson (both Chelsea), Caroline Weir (Man City), Kim Little (Arsenal), Ji So-yun, Beth England (both Chelsea), Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal), Chloe Kelly (Man City).
Championship team of the year: Brice Samba (Nottingham Forest), Luke Ayling, Ben White, Liam Cooper (all Leeds), Joe Bryan (Fulham), Eberechi Eze (QPR), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds), Romaine Sawyers (West Brom), Aleksandar Mitrovic (Fulham), Ollie Watkins, Said Benrahma (both Brentford).
League One team of the year: Marko Marosi, Fankaty Dabo (both Coventry), Michael Ihiekwe (Rotherham), Robert Dickie (Oxford), Joe Jacobsen (Wycombe), Cameron Brannagan (Oxford), Liam Walsh (Coventry), Matt Crooks (Rotherham), Armand Gnanduillet (Blackpool), Ivan Toney (Peterborough), Matt Godden (Coventry).
League Two team of the year: Alex Palmer (Plymouth), Perry Ng (Crewe), Ben Tozer (Cheltenham), Charlie Goode (Northampton), Randell Williams (Exeter), Antoni Sarcevic, Danny Mayor (both Plymouth), Nicky Adams (Northampton), Charlie Kirk (Crewe), Eoin Doyle, Jerry Yates (both Swindon).
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