Features

Who will be crowned top player?

Author: John Harris
Date: 04/03/2010
Football betting

With just 10 games remaining in the Premier League season, the Professional Footballers' Association are surely already starting to etch the name of Wayne Rooney onto their coveted Players' Player of the Year Trophy.

The Manchester United and England striker is the favourite to walk away with this season's accolade and it's hard to disagree with the sportsbooks.

After 27 league games, Rooney had found the net 23 times. Five more goals in other competitions have taken him to a career best 28 goals.

Still only 24 years of age, the Liverpool-born striker is playing the best football of an already glittering career.

Left foot, right foot or even headers, Rooney is scoring for fun this season and the hopes of many England fans are pinned on his broad shoulders ahead of the World Cup.

His goalscoring prowess and a new more advanced position has also helped the Red Devils lessen the impact of losing a freescoring Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid last season.

"He is the answer to the hole left by Cristiano Ronaldo - a player who has not only improved his scoring rate, but who has added even more pace to his game, certainly in the way he is running at opponents," explained United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

"He is terrifying them with the kind of form that is fast putting him up there alongside world greats like Ronaldo, (Lionel) Messi and Kaka."

Can Wayne Rooney fire Manchester United to this season's Premier League title? - Latest Football Betting

Perhaps the only player standing in the way of Rooney following United team-mate and 2009 winner Ryan Giggs onto the prestigious roll of honour is Chelsea's Didier Drogba.

The Ivory Coast striker has found the net 19 times to date - just four less than Rooney - during another productive season.

He has nine league assists compared to Rooney's four and that's despite missing four weeks of the season while away at the Africa Cup of Nations.

What may add to his desire is the surprising fact that Drogba has never won the player of the year accolade despite six highly successful years in the Premier League.

Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard must also be on the PFA shortlist after his return of 12 goals and 10 assists from the first 28 games of the season.

Carlos Tevez's 15 goals and all-action performances for Manchester City could also lead to a first ever nomination for the Argentina forward.

Tottenham hot-shot Jermain Defoe will also be hoping his 16-goal campaign is enough to earn him a place on the shortlist alongside a spot in the England squad for the World Cup Finals.

BET NOW