Chelsea and Tottenham lead the way in the PFA Premier League team of the year with four players each. The league leaders’ midfielder N’Golo Kanté and the winger Eden Hazard, bothnominated for the PFA player of the year award, are included along with the defenders Gary Cahill and David Luiz.
Spurs, who trail Chelsea by four points in the title race, are represented by the midfielder Dele Alli and the striker Harry Kane, as well as the full-backs Danny Rose and Kyle Walker.
Manchester United’s David de Gea gets the nod in goal, while Sadio Mané, of Liverpool and Everton’s Romelu Lukaku, the division’s top scorer with 24 goals, complete the lineup.
While Kane and Lukaku are also on the shortlist for player of the year, the other two nominees, United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alexis Sánchez of Arsenal, miss out.
Anthony Knockaert is one of four Brighton players in the Championship team of the year. The French midfielder, the Championship’s player of the year, is joined by the goalkeeper David Stockdale and defenders Bruno and Lewis Dunk for the Seagulls, who celebrated promotion on Monday.
Newcastle United’s Jonjo Shelvey, Jamaal Lascelles and Dwight Gayle are included, along with the Leeds United striker Chris Wood, Aaron Mooy of Huddersfield and the Fulham duo Tom Cairney and the 16-year-old full-back Ryan Sessegnon.
Billy Sharp’s 27 goals for the champions Sheffield United earned him a place in the League One team, along with four team-mates, while John Marquis is in the League Two XI after his 26 strikes helped Doncaster Rovers to promotion.
Eni Aluko was overlooked by England for Euro 2017 but has been rewarded for finishing as top scorer in the Women’s Super League with a place in its team of the year.
The Chelsea Ladies striker scored nine goals in 16 games last season but her 102-cap England career looks to be over after missing out on this summer’s tournament in the Netherlands.
Five players from the champions Manchester City feature, including the England captain Steph Houghton, Lucy Bronze and Jill Scott and Scotland internationals Jennifer Beattie and Jane Ross. Aluko’s Chelsea team-mate Karen Carney is also named, along with Lionesses vice-captain Jordan Nobbs.
PFA teams of the year
Premier League: David de Gea (Manchester United); Kyle Walker (Tottenham), David Luiz (Chelsea), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Danny Rose (Tottenham); Dele Alli (Tottenham), Eden Hazard (Chelsea), N’Golo Kanté (Chelsea), Sadio Mané (Liverpool); Harry Kane (Tottenham), Romelu Lukaku (Everton).
Championship: David Stockdale (Brighton); Bruno Saltor (Brighton), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Jamaal Lascelles (Newcastle), Ryan Sessegnon (Fulham); Tom Cairney (Fulham), Anthony Knockaert (Brighton), Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield), Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle); Dwight Gayle (Newcastle), Chris Wood (Leeds).
League One: Simon Moore (Sheffield United); Kieron Freeman (Sheffield United), Mark Beevers (Bolton), David Wheater (Bolton), James Meredith (Bradford); Mark Duffy (Sheffield United), John Fleck (Sheffield United), Josh Morris (Scunthorpe), Erhun Oztumer (Walsall); Billy Sharp (Sheffield United), James Vaughan (Bury).
League Two: Luke McCormick (Plymouth); Kelvin Mellor (Blackpool), Sonny Bradley (Plymouth), Christian Burgess (Portsmouth), Enda Stevens (Portsmouth); Nicky Adams (Carlisle), Luke Berry (Cambridge), James Coppinger (Doncaster), Graham Carey (Plymouth); Danny Hylton (Luton), John Marquis (Doncaster).
Women’s Super League: Mary Earps (Reading); Lucy Bronze (Manchester City), Jennifer Beattie (Manchester City), Steph Houghton (Manchester City), Jess Carter (Birmingham City); Karen Carney (Chelsea), Jill Scott (Manchester City), Jordan Nobbs (Arsenal), Caroline Weir (Liverpool); Jane Ross (Manchester City), Eniola Aluko (Chelsea Ladies).
[Guardian UK]
