Manchester United may have finished the season trophyless, having choked away a golden opportunity in the UEFA Europa Leaguie final, but they did still finish runners-up in the Premier League, and that’s just the second time they’ve finished this high since Sir Alex Ferguson retired.
So it’s no surprise that they landed two on the PFA Team of the Year, which was announced on Friday. Congratulations to Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw. Here’s the full team below, dominated by Manchester City, which landed six.
https://twitter.com/UTDatopahene/status/1400852365998239750
You’ll notice the team, which is voted on by the players consists of footballers from all big six clubs. Actually, only four of the big six are represented, and two teams from the top five are left out entirely. Yes, there is no one from fifth place Leicester City, nor anybody at all from Chelsea.
No N’Golo Kante or Mason Mount, really?
The Champions League winners, and yet not a single player made the cut? Seems strange to me. Getting back to United, well, you have heard all the jokes about what the club would be without Fernandes. How many times has he saved this side the last year and a half.
As for Shaw, he earned the club’s player of the year award a couple years ago, finally starting to realize his potential. And now he’s continuing that positive trajectory further, which is a fine story for all involved, given all the injuries he’s had to overcome.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.