Record-chaser Salah named player of year

LONDON — Mohamed Salah was crowned the Professional Players’ Association Player of the Year on Sunday, with his incredible 41-goal debut season at Liverpool beating strong competition from Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne.

“It’s a big honor. I’ve worked hard and I’m very happy to win it,” Salah said at the ceremony on Sunday evening.

Salah matched a Premier League record tally for a 38-game season by scoring his 31st league goal of the campaign in a 2-2 draw at West Brom on Saturday.

He joins Alan Shearer (1995-96), Cristiano Ronaldo (2007-08) and Luis Suarez (2013-14) on the record mark, while Shearer (1994-95) and Andy Cole (1993-94) tallied 34 goals under the old 42-game format.

“You’re comparing your name with some great names,” said Salah of his scoring feat. “To break the Premier League record is something huge in England and all over in the world.

“There are still three games to go. I want to break this record.”

Salah has also netted seven times in eight Champions League games to carry his side to its first semifinal in a decade.

De Bruyne showed why he had been many people’s favorite for the prize with an incredible long-range strike for his 12th goal of the season to go with a league-high number of assists as champion City thrashed Swansea 5-0 on Sunday.

“From my point of view when you are analyzing 10 months, there is no player better than him,” said City manager Pep Guardiola of the Belgian midfielder.

“Maybe there are numbers better but for me he was the best.”

City did pick up a prize from the PFA gala in central London on Sunday, though, as Leroy Sane won the Young Player of the Year.

Sane, another City teammate David Silva, De Bruyne, Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea and Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane were the other five nominees for the top honor.