Former Arsenal star Paul Merson has praised Liverpool forward Sadio Mane as his player of the season ahead of some big names.
The Senegal international has been a world class performer for Liverpool for some time now, and has arguably become even more important than the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah.
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Of course, it may be some time before we see Mane and co. back on the pitch again as football is halted due to the coronavirus crisis, with Liverpool facing an agonising wait to see if they can complete the season and win a likely Premier League title.
It may therefore also be some time before we talk about player of the year prizes, but Merson has given Sky Sports his analysis on who’d be deserving of that title.
The ex-Gunner says he’d have Mane over LFC team-mate Van Dijk and Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, saying: “It’s got to be Sadio Mane for me.
“Mane is the player who has been Liverpool’s go-to man at special times in the season. He’s performed and got big goals in big games. He’s the one for me.
“Virgil van Dijk would be a close second – if he was at Manchester City, they would be 10 points clear. That’s how much he is worth.
“Obviously Kevin De Bruyne has been brilliant, but it’s hard to give it to someone who is 25 points behind someone else.
“If you’re asking me which player I want to watch the most in the Premier League, it’s Jack Grealish! But he isn’t getting player of the year. It’s different.”