Mo recognised by his peers

– Mohamed Salah (above) was crowned the Premier League’s Players’ Player-ofthe-Year on Sunday, with his incredible 41-goal debut season at Liverpool beating out strong competition from Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne.

“It’s a big honour. 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 single season by scoring his 31st league goal of the campaign in a 2-2 draw at West Brom on Saturday.

“You’re comparing your name with some great names,” he said, on the prospect of breaking the record. “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, including in both legs of Liverpool’s 5-1 quarterfinal thrashing of City, to carry his side to a first semifinal for a decade.

De Bruyne showed why he had been many people’s early-season favourite 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 champions City thrashed Swansea 5-0 on Sunday.

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

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, City team-mate David Silva, De Bruyne, Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea and Spurs striker Harry Kane were the other five nominees. –

London