[@ManUtd] Kobbie Mainoo is among the nominees for the Premier League ‘s Young Player of the Season award

**Young Player shortlist**

Phil Foden (Man City)

P32 W22 D7 L3 G16 A8

The 23-year-old Academy graduate has been one of 2023/24’s standout midfielders. He has been utilised in a more central attacking role by Pep Guardiola this season, directly contributing to 24 goals, including two hat-tricks, in Manchester City’s push to be the first team to win four consecutive Premier League titles.

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Erling Haaland (Man City)

P28 W19 D6 L3 G25 A5

The winner of last season’s award is 2023/24’s top scorer, netting 25 times in just 28 appearances to sit four clear in the race for the Castrol Golden Boot. The 23-year-old has also set up five goals for his team-mates, making him one of only three players this season to reach 30 goal involvements.

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Alexander Isak (Newcastle)

P27 W13 D2 L12 G20 A1

The Swedish forward is nominated for a second consecutive season after 21 goal involvements in only 27 matches. Isak, 24, is the first Newcastle player since Alan Shearer in 2002/03 to reach 20 goals in a Premier League season, while his minutes-per-goal rate of 101.3 is second only to Haaland’s 91.8 among players with more than two goals.

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Kobbie Mainoo (Man Utd)

P21 W8 D6 L7 G2 A1

Aged just 19, Mainoo has enjoyed a breakout season at Old Trafford. He has established himself as a key starter in Manchester United’s midfield and scored two important goals, a late winner at Wolverhampton Wanderers and a stunner in a draw with Liverpool.

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Cole Palmer (Chelsea)

P31 W14 D8 L9 G21 A9

Palmer, who turned 22 this week, has had a remarkable debut campaign at Stamford Bridge after joining from Man City. He has matched Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard’s Chelsea record of 16 home Premier League goals in a season, while also becoming only the third player in history to reach 30+ goal involvements in a PL season while aged 21 or younger, after Robbie Fowler and Chris Sutton.

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Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)

P34 W24 D5 L5 G16 A9

The winger is Arsenal’s highest scorer AND assister in a superb campaign for Mikel Arteta’s title-chasers, scoring 16 goals and setting up a further nine. The 22-year-old has created 88 chances, the fourth-most in the league.

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William Saliba (Arsenal)

P36 W26 D5 L5 G2 A1 CS17

The Frenchman has been flawless for the league’s meanest defence, helping Arsenal keep 17 clean sheets – five more than anyone else – conceding only 28 goals all season. The 23-year-old has a 61 per cent tackle success rate and is one of only two outfield players in the league to play every minute of the season.

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Destiny Udogie (Spurs)

P28 W16 D6 L6 G2 A3 CS2

In his first Premier League season, Italy defender Udogie, 21, has made a big impression at Spurs as an inverted attacking left-back. Although his season was cut short by injury, Udogie’s stats are impressive, directly contributing to five goals, creating 24 chances and making 68 tackles.

This award needs to be < 21. seeing 24yo players get called young is silly. Only Mainoo would be eligible on that list.

That’s some list to be part of. Just the beginning for Kobbie!

Any reason why Garnacho is not part of this list ? ( Well Done Kobbie ! )

Insanely talented.

Only minor concern the past few weeks has been on athleticism. Bit sluggish in some games.

But for now easy to chalk that up to being “overused” in the 1st team. He’s capable of being here but without a doubt due to how awful our squad is he’s likely being pushed a bit hard in a breakthrough season.

Mainoo deserved to be nominated but shouldn’t garnacho be nominated too? No? Or am I just delusional? Shouldn’t it be more for U21 players?

It’s brought up every year, but we really do need to rethink the Young Player of the Year award, the fact that Mainoo is on a shortlist alongside Isak or Haaland is pretty silly.

Maybe change the age bracket to U-21, or change it so it’s for breakthroughs / debutants of the year, so you can’t be nominated if you’ve made over 25 appearances prior to the season or something.

There’s lots of excellent young, breakthrough players in the league that should be recognised alongside Mainoo, and it seems a waste of an award or spot by including fully established players like Haaland.

r/soccer fumes

I can already see the twitter outrage 🤣