N'Golo Kante, Dele Alli Headline Full Awards List of 2017 PFA Winners

N'Golo Kante took home the big prize after being named Premier League Player of the Year for 2017 at the annual PFA awards on Sunday night. Chelsea midfield destroyer Kante was rewarded for a superb season, while Tottenham Hotspur ace Dele Alli rightly won the Young Player of the Year award for the second year running.

BBC Sport confirmed how Kante—who beat stars such as Chelsea team-mate Eden Hazard and Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who finished second and third, to the award—took home the big prize:

In the process, the Frenchman joined some select company among previous winners, according to Squawka Football:

Kante has merited the award after pushing Chelsea to the brink of the league title with his all-action displays. His brutal brand of brilliance this season has won many admirers after Kante emerged from obscurity to inspire Leicester City to the most unlikely title win of the Premier League era in 2016.

Goal's Nizaar Kinsella detailed why Kante has taken top billing this season, showing off a complete game in the process:

Kante has been the fulcrum of Chelsea's midfield as a relentless tackling machine who presses opponents all over the pitch and rarely mistimes a tackle. However, as Miguel Delaney of The Independent pointed out, Kante is not merely a disruptive force:

Alli's award was confirmed by the PFA:

It prompted suitable praise from former Tottenham striker and current BBC Sport and BT Sport pundit Gary Lineker:

Another member of the fraternity of ex-Spurs players, Jermaine Jenas, offered his own endorsement of Alli's undoubted talents:

While Kante has left his mark on opponents, Alli has most often dazzled them with skill and flair. The 21-year-old has an innate knack for breaking from deep to finish a slick Tottenham move with the right scoring touch.

Alli also boasts the vision and ingenuity to turn provider in the final third, as these numbers help prove:

Earlier in the night, Manchester City Women's defender Lucy Bronze collected the Women's Player of the Year prize:

Bronze was congratulated by one-time City striker Paul Dickov:

Meanwhile, there was an award for precocious Birmingham City FC midfielder Jess Carter, with the 19-year-old earning suitable recognition for a stellar season:

Former England women's international Kelly Smith was also honoured:

Her award was met with ringing praise from Sky Sports News presenter Hayley McQueen:

Arsenal Ladies star Alex Scott also took time to laud Smith's achievement:

Smith's award came before guest of honour David Beckham also received a prize. The one-time Manchester United midfield workhorse was given the merit award:

Kante and Alli taking the top two prizes makes sense after both have dominated at their positions throughout this campaign. Their performances have the Blues and Tottenham contesting the title, and it's safe to argue neither side could function adequately without their respective star man in the middle.