EDITOR’S PICK
EKO HOT BLOG reports that Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has protested the exclusion of Cristiano Ronaldo on the shortlist for the Premier League’s Player of the Season award when Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka was mentioned.
Ronaldo was not a standout performer this season but the 37-year-old has still scored 18 goals in his first campaign back in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Saka has been one of Arsenal’s standout performers with 11 goals and six assists in the Premier League so far.
Last week, the 20-year-old was named on the shortlist for the Premier League’s Player of the Season alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarrod Bowen, Joao Cancelo, Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah, Son Heung-min and James Ward-Prowse.
But Ferdinand believes Ronaldo has done enough to warrant being alongside the frontrunners for the award.
‘Saka’s in the in the Player of the Year nominees?’ Ferdinand asked on Vibe with Five.
‘I wouldn’t have had Saka in there yet, as well as he’s done.
‘I wouldn’t have had him over Ronaldo, no, not this season.
‘Ronaldo should be in ahead of three of four of those guys in there.
‘He probably doesn’t win it but in terms of nominees, it’s laughable.
‘He’ll take it as a disrespect but these are the things that fuel him, he’ll be thinking, ‘how dare you?’.
FURTHER READING
‘If it’s based on stats, he’s like, ‘I’ve banged in more goals than most of them on that list other than Salah, so what are you talking about?”
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