Neither Jamie Carragher nor Gary Neville picked Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah as their Player of the Year. The Egyptian forward enjoyed a stunning first half of the campaign, helping put the Reds in a strong position to push for four trophies this season.
While the goals have dried up for Salah a little in recent weeks, he remains top of both the goalscoring and assists charts. He could also still feasibly finish the season with four silverware successes, as Liverpool can still win both the Premier League and the Champions League.
Salah was named as the Football Writers' Association Player of the Year recently, but neither Carragher or Neville think the 30-year-old has been the standout individual performer this season, with the former opting for Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne.
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"You’re debating it today, the numbers, I don’t even think I had De Bruyne in my team half way through the season," said Carragher. "Salah was no doubt the best player at the start of the season but I think De Bruyne in the second half of the season, the vital goals not just Wolves but the goal against Atletico Madrid, United, Liverpool.
"For me, he’s been the player of the year for the last two years, I absolutely love him. If I take Liverpool out the equation, there’s one player I want to watch it’s Kevin de Bruyne, he does things, he’s the greatest player to play for Man City. He’s going to be an all-time great. We talk Gerrard, Scholes, Lampard but when De Bruyne finishes, it’ll be out of the four."
Neville opted for Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min as his choice, with the South Korean international one goal behind Salah in the race for the Golden Boot. "One goal off Mo Salah playing for a team that is completely different in style, not as good," he said.
"He could play for any team, if he was available any team in Europe would take him. De Bruyne amazing, I was probably marking De Bruyne and Salah down for no reason. De Bruyne slightly, in Madrid you wanted him to take that game by the scruff on the neck if you were Man City. He’s the best player I watch every week.
"Son doesn't get the recognition he deserves - 21 goals to be one off Mo Salah, doesn’t get the service of Alexander-Arnold and Robertson I think he deserved a mention really. You couldn’t argue if it went to Salah or De Bruyne."
Salah will not have the chance to add to his goal tally on Tuesday against Southampton, with manager Jurgen Klopp confirming he will miss the game due to injury.
