Erling Haaland has been named as the Football Writer's Association Footballer of the Year after his stunning first season with Manchester City.
The Norwegian has plundered a remarkable 51 goals in 47 appearances in all competitions, and taken City to the verge of becoming the first side to do the treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup since rivals Manchester United in 1999.
Chelsea star Sam Kerr has won the FWA Women's Footballer of the Year award after yet another superb season for the Blues, with the Australia international having scored a stunning 27 goals this campaign.
Kerr wins the award for the second time in succession, following in the footsteps of her Chelsea teammate Fran Kirby, who also won it twice in 2017-18 and 2020-21.
Haaland won 82 per cent of the vote and becomes the third Manchester City player to win the award in the last five seasons, following on from Raheem Sterling in 2018-19 and Ruben Dias in 2020-21.
“The two winners, Erling Haaland and Sam Kerr, are two outstanding winners. It’s incredibly well deserved,” said Daily Mirror chief football writer and FWA chair John Cross.
“Erling Haaland, breaking all records before him. I cannot think of a more resounding and deserving winner.
"The vote was huge, the turnout, and he took 82 percent of the vote. Bukayo Saka was second, but to be honest, Haaland was streets ahead.
“His achievements and goals in the last few weeks have taken him to a whole new level.
“I never thought Clive Allen’s record for Spurs of 49 goals in all comps in 1986-87 season would be beaten, but Haaland has been fantastic. He’s absolutely blown everyone away, with Man City still chasing their treble of course.
"What a year it’s been for him and for City as well.”
Haaland has already set the record for the most goals in a Premier League season, scoring 35 times in 32 games as City have pulled ahead of long-time leaders Arsenal at the top of the table.
Pep Guardiola's side are just one point ahead of the Gunners, but crucially have four more games to play while Arsenal have three.
After Haaland broke the Premier League record last week, Guardiola said: "The impact of how he adjusts to the league was so quick, the first two goals were against West Ham [in the first game of the season] and he breaks the record against West Ham.
"Immediately we saw he is a guy when you provide him with balls he scores in all situations except free kicks - maybe in the future - but crosses, penalties, combinations, transitions. He is a guy who can do many things as well as score a lot of goals."
On Kerr, Cross added: "It said everything about how Sam Kerr is held that she was carrying the Australian flag at the Coronation last weekend.
"That's how much she's respected as an icon of sport Down Under. She's not the first to win it twice, but she's the first to win it in consecutive years.
"What an amazing achievement and example she is as a winner."
