PFA Awards 2015: Prediction for Final Order of Player of the Year Vote
The 42nd PFA Awards are just hours away with the prestigious event being held at the Grosvenor House in London on Sunday. The best Premier League player of the past year will be crowned, while there will also be recognition for the best young talent.
This year sees four players under the age of 24 nominated for the main gong, with a goalkeeper also making the final six.
According to Oddschecker.com, Chelsea's Eden Hazard is the bookies' favourite to walk away with the accolade of Player of the Year, with Harry Kane, Alexis Sanchez, David De Gea, Philippe Coutinho and Diego Costa making up the numbers.
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Here, we give you a prediction for the final order of the vote, focusing on the top three players:
| Winner | Harry Kane |
| Runner-Up | Eden Hazard |
| 3rd | David De Gea |
| 4th | Alexis Sanchez |
| 5th | Diego Costa |
| 6th | Philippe Coutinho |
Harry Kane and Eden Hazard
As Chelsea edge towards the title, the easy option is to pontificate about the achievements of Eden Hazard as the Blues stand as champions-elect.
However, has the Belgian truly been the best player across the whole of the season? Hazard has seen dips in form which suggest he is not, despite the fact he should be collecting his first Premier League crown in the coming weeks.
As with all Player of the Year awards, the individual who has made the best solus impact since last August deserves the prize—and this year Harry Kane has eclipsed all others.
An unknown to casual football fans until very recently, Kane has exploded across English football like an all-consuming tsunami. He has been arguably Europe's finest striker in the last eight months, displaying an array of attacking talent and finishing.
He has kept Tottenham in the hunt for a Champions League spot on his own, and you wonder if Mauricio Pochettino would still have a job without Kane's contribution.
The fact that Hazard's light shines brightest in the minds of many should not have an impact on who wins the award—Kane has proved he is a world-class talent in the making.
The England international has now hit the magic 20-goal mark in the Premier League, and he has achieved this in just 23 starts, with six appearances from the bench, per WhoScored.com.
The column inches of the world's press will soon be busy scribbling about Hazard taking Jose Mourinho to the most lauded prize in English football, but the Belgian has saved his best form for the final assault on the title, potentially losing votes as they are cast earlier in the year.
The 24-year-old was recently the difference for Chelsea as they clung on to victory against a dominant Manchester United team at Stamford Bridge, but with 13 goals and eight assists—per WhoScored—the player's record should be better for such an important entity.
Chelsea's midfield allows Hazard to have the attacking third to himself, and as a player with Lionel Messi-like tendencies, he should be scoring more and creating more assists.
Kane has surprised even those who knew of his burgeoning talent, and he is now in line to take Wayne Rooney's mantle as England's most likely boy wonder.
His performance level has been incredible for one so young, showing he can operate in any of the attacking positions, being effective wide or at the highest point of the team.
Kane is destined to become a superstar footballer, and more Player of the Year award nominations will surely be forthcoming in the years ahead. But the young man thoroughly deserves this season's crown after a stellar performance.
David De Gea
The progression of David De Gea will have surprised the vast amount of people who wrote him off during his first year at Manchester United, but the 24-year-old has always had the potential to become Europe's best.
His time at Atletico Madrid showed the ability he possessed, and his bravery was highlighted with his move to Old Trafford, when staying in Spain would have been the easier option.
This year De Gea has been United's rock, saving the team on a weekly basis as Louis van Gaal suffered from early-season nerves in his new job.
DDG remained firm as United's defence constantly tripped, and the result has seen the Red Devils placed well for an unexpected Champions League finish.
But De Gea's time in the north-west could be about to end with David McDonnell of the Mirror claiming the player is "determined" to join Real Madrid in the summer.
LvG and United's loss would also be the Premier League's, losing the best goalkeeper in its ranks after recently claiming Thibaut Courtois back from La Liga.
Whatever happens with De Gea, he will be fondly remembered by United fans for his excellent contribution to the club, and for overcoming his detractors in the finest of styles.
