Football

High Press Episode 20: Premier League POTY – Half a season? No problem for Kevin De Bruyne!

1 month ago

High Press Episode 20:

Episode 20 of High Press focuses on the race for Premier League Player of the Year. The panel evaluate the leading candidates for the award, including Erling Haaland, Mo Salah and Declan Rice.

PFA POTY Updated Rules

Host Alison Bender is joined by Anne-Marie Batson, Jack Pitt-Brooke and Charlie Wyett for the discussion.
Wyett starts out the episode with an explanation of how PFA Player of the Year voting works. The award has notably moved later in the year, as voting previously had to take place in March.

Rodri is City’s most important player

Bender introduces the discussion by naming the six favourites: Rodri, Mohamed Salah, Erling Haaland, Declan Rice, Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden.
Pitt-Brooke says, “I think he [Rodri] is City’s most important player, even more so than Haaland. You can see that when Rodri’s injured, City’s results and performances dip. When Haaland’s injured, as happened recently, they keep on winning.”

Haaland takes City to another level

Bender adds that City lost all three matches when Rodri was suspended earlier in the season. There seems to be an agreement that Rodri is City’s most important player ahead of Haaland and De Bruyne.

Wyett recounts Pep Guardiola calling Rodri the ‘best midfielder in the world’.

He continues, “And I don’t think any of Guardiola’s players in midfield would argue with that, because he’s been absolutely outstanding. Do I think he’ll win the trophy? I’ve got a funny feeling he won’t still.”

Moving onto another City player, Bender says, “Let’s look at Haaland… he’s been slightly off his game this season, if you can say that.”
Batson replies, “He’s my second choice. I think it would be nice to have someone in the defence or goalkeeping pick up the award.”
Wyett thinks the players will inevitably compare Haaland to last season when voting for the award, and thinks that almost rules him out of contention this season.

Arsenal more ruthless with Declan Rice

Switching from Manchester to the capital, Bender says, “For me, it comes down to if Arsenal win the league. Not wholly, but mainly because they’ve got someone like Declan Rice, who has incredible leadership, I just love watching him play.”

Batson and Bender believe Rice’s chances will be better next season unless Arsenal win the Champions League, with Pitt-Brooke mentioning that the former West Ham man has never played at that level before.

Mo Salah looks stronger than ever

While Pitt-Brooke believes there could be some sentimental support for Salah as he nears the end of his time at Liverpool, Wyett talks up Liverpool’s dependence on the Egyptian.

Bender and Pitt-Brooke agree that Foden is some way down the pecking order at Manchester City, which takes him out of the running for Player of the Year.
Pitt-Brooke names De Bruyne as a ‘unique player in the Premier League’ before Batson describes the ‘symbiotic’ relationship between De Bruyne and Haaland.
Wyett didn’t want to rule De Bruyne out from winning the award, which is remarkable considering how much time he’s missed through injury.
Like Rice, the panel agree that Bukayo Saka is a contender if Arsenal win the Premier League and Champions League. Batson points out that the winger hasn’t peaked yet and should continue to improve.