One Surprise Inclusion in PFA Team of the Year Full of Liverpool and Manchester City Players

London: Liverpool and Manchester City dominated the PFA Team of the Year as expected but there was one inclusion that was surprising to most.

While the entire PFA Team of the Year consisted of either City or Liverpool players, there was one Manchester United player in the midfield that made it to the team.

Paul Pogba was the sole ‘other club’ inclusion in the Team of the Year and it was surprising considering the season United have had and also that Pogba has failed to light up the big matches.

Pogba has scored 13 goals in 31 appearances and has assisted 9 this season. However, 7 of the 13 goals have come in penalties. Moreover, most of those goals and assists have come against weaker opposition. Pogba has hardly troubled the Big 6 opponents.

While Pogba was sort of a shock, rest of the team was pretty much expected.

However, this is the first time since 1987-88 campaign that no player from any London club has made it to the Team of the Year.

Ederson took the command of the goalpost after a season where he has conceded just 22 goals in the league compared to the 89 City have scored.

The defence in the PFA Team of the Year is dominated by Liverpool and that speaks volumes about the role the Reds’ defence has played in their campaign.

The only non-Liverpool player to feature in the defence was City’s Aymeric Laporte.

On the other hand, van Dijk became the first Dutch defender to make it to the PFA Team of the Year since Jaap Stam in 2000-01 season.

The midfield had a surprising Pogba inclusion but was made up of City otherwise while the frontline also had two City players and one from Liverpool.

Bernardo Silva, who has had a brilliant campaign with Manchester City, is only the third Portuguese apart from Cristiano Ronaldo (4 times) and Nani (once) to make it to the list.

Here is the PFA Team of the Year 2018-19: (Formation 4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Ederson

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Aymeric Laporte, Andrew Robertson

Midfielders: Paul Pogba, Fernandinho, Bernardo Silva

Forwards: Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero, Sadio Mane