Both Declan Rice and Phil Foden have been outstanding this season and Alan Pardew has been speaking about who he’d pick as player of the season.
As we all know, Foden won the Football Writers award a few weeks ago after his sensational season for Man City put them within touching distance of a fourth Premier League title.
However, down the M1 in London, Declan Rice has also been starring for Arsenal, who could also still end up winning the league.
Rice signed for a fee in excess of £100m last summer but has been more than worth the price tag as he’s starred in Arsenal’s midfield.
And with both Rice and Foden nominated for the Premier League player of the season award, former PL manager Alan Pardew has been giving his thoughts on who he’d go with.
Alan Pardew names his player of the season out of Declan Rice and Phil Foden
Speaking on TalkSPORT about the race to win the player of the year, Pardew admitted he’d just side with Rice over Foden as it stands.
“The senior one, I don’t know where I would go with that, probably Foden, but the professional in me would say if Arsenal win, Declan Rice.
“Because I just think the price-tag, the size of club, the way he has gone about it his business, when they have played well, he has been their best player, so I would slightly side with him,” Pardew said.
Flip of a coin but both have been exceptional
Foden’s numbers in terms of goals and assists will probably end up swaying this one, as will the fact that City seem likely to win the league.
But there can be no doubt that two of England’s top stars have been the main men at club level as well.
For Rice, the pressure was always going to be on after Arsenal spent so much on him but he has more than shown his worth over the season.
As for Foden, to outshine players like Erling Haaland takes some doing but that’s exactly what he’s gone and done this year.
Heading into the Euros, England genuinely have two of the best players in the world.