Who Should Win the Premier League Young Player of the Year Award?

Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane celebrate after scoring for Manchester City against Crystal Palace in September. (AFP)
Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane celebrate after scoring for Manchester City against Crystal Palace in September. (AFP)
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Who Should Win the Premier League Young Player of the Year Award?

Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane celebrate after scoring for Manchester City against Crystal Palace in September. (AFP)
Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane celebrate after scoring for Manchester City against Crystal Palace in September. (AFP)

The votes for the PFA Player of the Year awards have been cast and the odds are stacked on a two-horse race between Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah. It’s a similar story in the Young Player of the Year category too, with Manchester City wingers Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sané battling it out to be crowned best young player (anyone aged 23 or under when the season started).

Sterling and Sané have blown away the competition in a season when youth has been somewhat under-represent. Just 20 players aged 21 or under have started at least 10 matches this season and the majority of them were already established at their clubs. Beyond new signings such as Davinson Sánchez, Richarlison and Mikel Merino, there have been very few fresh faces in the league. Trent Alexander-Arnold is probably the most notable breakthrough candidate, but the 19-year-old full-back has not generated the sort of buzz Dele Alli, Marcus Rashford or Sterling have in recent years.

Sterling is now something of a veteran in the Premier League. This is his sixth season of regular first-team football, making his qualification for the award seem quite baffling, but any player aged 23 or under at the start of the season is eligible. Sterling does not turn 24 until December so he will still be in contention next season too.

This has been Sterling’s most productive season by a distance. The weaknesses in his game have not been entirely eradicated – as we saw on Saturday, when he missed a string of chances in the Manchester derby – but, to his credit, he keeps plugging away even if he has spurn a few opportunities. His ability to find clear goal-scoring opportunities in the box has been crucial to Manchester City’s sweeping attacking football this season. Only four players have had more clear-cut goal-scoring opportunities in the league all season (22), and his knack of being in the right place at the right time has helped him to score 16 league goals. Only three players – Salah (29), Harry Kane (24) and Agüero (21) – have scored more.

A quarter of Sterling’s goals have been set up by his main rival for the young player award, Leroy Sané. That two players positioned on opposite flanks have combined so frequently and successfully shows how well Guardiola has his side playing in the final third. Sané has become a key provider for the team, getting to the byline, often inside the penalty area, and squaring the ball for his team-mates to tap home.

Sané’s latest assist, for Vincent Kompany’s opener in the Manchester derby, was his 12th in the league this season. Only de Bruyne has more (15). Sané does not get into as many goal-scoring positions as Sterling – Sané has only taken 49 shots compared to Sterling’s 73 shots – which illustrates that, while the pair have similar skills, their roles in this side are very different.

Sané stays wider on the left while Sterling is given the license to drift into central positions, where he profits from defenders being preoccupied with Agüero and Gabriel Jesus. In that sense, it’s very difficult to pick one above the other. Neither is required to do a great deal of defensive work to cover their full-back. Unsurprisingly, Sterling attempts more shots (2.6 per game to 1.8), while Sané completes more dribbles (2.6 to 2.0) owing to his more traditional role as a winger. Sané is given less support from left-back than what Kyle Walker offers on the right, where his overlaps give Sterling opportunities to move into central areas.

As far as our ratings are concerned, the margins between the two could hardly be finer. Sterling (7.55) just has the edge over Sané (7.53), with no other eligible candidates coming close. Emre Can (7.28), reigning champion Dele Alli (7.15) and Wilfred Ndidi (7.13) complete the top five, but this year’s award will unquestionably be won by a Manchester City player for the first time since Peter Barnes won it in 1976.

The Guardian Sport



Tien, Fonseca Set for Final Showdown at Next Generation ATP Finals in Jeddah

Tien secured the first ticket to the final after defeating his compatriot Alex Michelsen in a thrilling five-set match. (SPA)
Tien secured the first ticket to the final after defeating his compatriot Alex Michelsen in a thrilling five-set match. (SPA)
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Tien, Fonseca Set for Final Showdown at Next Generation ATP Finals in Jeddah

Tien secured the first ticket to the final after defeating his compatriot Alex Michelsen in a thrilling five-set match. (SPA)
Tien secured the first ticket to the final after defeating his compatriot Alex Michelsen in a thrilling five-set match. (SPA)

American Learner Tien and Brazilian João Fonseca advanced on Saturday to the final of the Next Generation ATP Finals.

The event, which will be held at the King Abdullah Sports City Arena in Jeddah on Sunday, is being organized by the Saudi Tennis Federation and the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), sponsored by the Public Investment Fund, and held under the supervision of the Ministry of Sport.

Tien secured the first ticket to the final after defeating his compatriot Alex Michelsen in a thrilling five-set match. This was Tien’s first appearance in the final of a professional tournament outside the US.

In the second semifinal, Brazilian João Fonseca earned his spot in the final by defeating France's Luca Van Assche in straight sets. Fonseca remains unbeaten in this edition of the tournament, being the only player with a perfect record.

Following his win, Tien said: "I can't put my feelings into words. I'm very happy with this victory, but I also feel a bit of regret since it came at the expense of Alex, with whom I share a strong bond. Of course, I'm thrilled to have advanced to the final."

Fonseca also reflected on his performance and qualification, saying: "I've never had such an outstanding week on a hard court before. I'm playing at my highest level, and I'm proud of what I've accomplished. I stayed fully focused, with my family and training team by my side, which has been amazing. I hope to keep this momentum and win the title."

The final match is expected to draw a large audience and media presence. It concludes the global tennis season for 2024.

The ATP Next Gen Finals represent a significant milestone for tennis in the Kingdom; it is the first professional tennis tournament hosted by Saudi Arabia, and helps achieve the Saudi Tennis Federation's ambitions, including fostering Saudi champions in the sport.