Ruben Dias wins Premier League Player of the Season award after fine debut year as Pep Guardiola picks up manager gong
RUBEN DIAS is the Premier League Player of the Season while Pep Guardiola picked up the manager award.
The Manchester City defender, 24, enjoyed a stunning debut campaign in England following his club-record transfer from Benfica.
WIN £50,000! Play Dream Team Euros – our FREE fantasy football game
And his performances have resulted in the latest award for the Portuguese star.
The public vote was combined with those of the 20 club captains and a panel of football experts as Dias was crowned victorious.
Dias lifted the Premier League trophy as City ran away with the title race in the second half of the season and the best defence in the division with just 32 goals conceded.
Out of 32 appearances, Dias won 23 and kept 15 clean sheets, forming a formidable partnership with John Stones.
The centre-back also collected the Football Writers' and Manchester City annual individual awards and was named in the PFA and Champions League teams of the season.
He also won the Carabao Cup and reached the Champions League final.
Dias is only the second Portuguese player to win the Premier League award after Cristiano Ronaldo.
The £64.5million man also follows in the footsteps of Nemanja Vidic, Vincent Kompany and Virgil van Dijk as victorious defenders.
WIN £50,000 with Dream Team Euros
Dream Team Euros is HERE!
The best fantasy football game to accompany Euro 2020 has arrived.
And you can play absolutely FREE for your chance to win the £50,000 jackpot.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR FREE!
Dream Team Euros
- £50,000 jackpot
- The best fantasy football game this summer
- Play in mini-leagues against your mates, colleagues, family members – and some hand-picked celebrities
- FREE to play
And the 27-cap international ensured the gong stays in the Etihad camp following Kevin De Bruyne's success last year.
The other seven nominees in contention this time around were De Bruyne, Bruno Fernandes, Jack Grealish, Harry Kane, Mason Mount, Mohamed Salah and Tomas Soucek.
For Guardiola, he guided the Citizens to a third league title in four years.
And in each of those seasons, 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2020-21, the Spaniard has been crowned the No1 gaffer in the division.
That tally draws him level with Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger on three apiece.
The 50-year-old beat fellow nominees Marcelo Bielsa, David Moyes, Brendan Rodgers and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this term.
⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
Source: Read Full Article