Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was named PFA Player of the Year
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah has been named the English Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year for 2017/18.
The Egyptian becomes the first African to be given the accolade
after edging out Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne by less than
20 votes in a ballot of more than 400 FWA members.
Tottenham striker Harry Kane came third with Salah and De Bruyne polling over 90 per cent of the votes.
"It's been the tightest call since 1968/69, when there was a
dead heat between Tony Book of Manchester City and Derby's Dave Mackay," FWA Chairman Patrick Barclay on the vote.
Salah is on course to win the Premier League Golden Boot with 31
goals in 34 games and has helped Liverpool to the Champions League
semi-finals with 11 goals in 13 matches.
He is the sixth player in seven seasons to complete the awards
double having also been named Player of the Year by the Professional
Footballers' Association this month.
The 25-year-old, a £39.5m summer signing from Roma, is just the
third Liverpool player to win the FWA award in the Premier League era
after Steven Gerrard in 2009 and Luis Suarez in 2014.
FWA Chairman Patrick Barclay told Sky Sports News: "You judge a victory against the opposition and in particular from Kevin De Bruyne this season, it has been as good as it gets.
"He [De Bruyne] could easily have won it. It was a very close vote. [Salah] has been relentless because you expect a player of his quality to have spells and then quiet spells.
"Whenever you think he can't do anymore he scores two world
class goals against Roma. He has just been phenomenal. He makes time
stand still - he has that quality which only the Lionel Messi's, the
greatest players have.
"He has become world class in a year, along with the year he
had at Roma. He has shot up to such a high standard. There have been
comparisons with Lionel Messi after his recent performances and they are
not exaggerated."
Other players to receive votes from FWA members were: Sergio
Aguero, Christian Eriksen, Roberto Firmino, Nick Pope, David Silva,
Raheem Sterling and Jan Vertonghen.
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