Several players, including Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli may feel aggrieved after missing out on the Premier League’s Team of the Season.
Despite their prolonged stay at the top of the table this season, only four Arsenal players were included, namely Aaron Ramsdale, William Saliba, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Martin Odegaard.
Mikel Arteta’s team had the most number of representatives in the XI, followed by title rivals Manchester City, who had three inclusions – Ruben Dias, Kevin De Bruyne, and Erling Haaland.
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Manchester United’s Casemiro and Marcus Rashford also made it to the team alongside Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, while Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier was the only player from his team to feature.
Salah’s inclusion has caused some surprise among fans, with many feeling that Saka was more deserving of the spot.
Below are some of the reactions from fans on Twitter:
@cuffodabest: I am Liverpool fan but Salah, Casemiro should not be above Saka, Guimaraes, or Rodri.
@tekanoafc: honestly ive never seen liverpool fans be non bias 🤦♂️. i do believe salah has been good but saka had been the best rw in the league this season its not hard to cope and its not hard to understand
@StormishMech: Salah over Saka??
Saka has been phenomenal this season, so I feel he deserves a card more
@Genesiis113: Saka is Epl youngest player of the season and he is not on the team 💔
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@LukasSimSond: Saka and Lisandro got absolutely robbed. A disgrace
@Bonarmilne: Sorry but Saka has had a better season then salah
@Libansofficial: Nah saka and rodri got robbed, just PR thing that didnt let them make it
@afcolllem: Gabriel, Saka and Martinelli robbed
@tekanoafc: honestly ive never seen liverpool fans be non bias 🤦♂️. i do believe salah has been good but saka had been the best rw in the league this season its not hard to cope and its not hard to understand
@Lekan_Oriade”Salah ahead of saka😂😂😂😂i can count more than 5 players ahead of salah
@StormishMech: Saka has been phenomenal this season, so I feel he deserves a card more
@TdanielUtd: There should be saka in there ahead of Salah and Luke Shaw or Martínez ahead of Dias or Zichenko
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Other players who deserve an honorable mention include Nathan Ake, who has been consistent for Manchester City, Rodri, Gabriel Martinelli, Bruno Guimaraes, Joao Palhinha, Lisandro Martinez, and Sven Botman.
Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma, Alexis Mac Allister, and Moises Caicedo have also been recognized for their contributions.
Tony Adams, the former Arsenal center-back, will undoubtedly be surprised by Saka’s omission from the Premier League TOTS.
He recently called Saka the “best player in the world right now besides Lionel Messi” and attributed Arsenal’s success to him.
“If there’s a better player in world football at the moment, someone who both scores and makes goals, the only one I can think of is Lionel Messi,” the 56-year-old wrote in his column for The Sun.
“Bukayo is absolutely on fire and the reason Arsenal are top of the table.”
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Adams added: “Erling Haaland might be scoring hundreds of goals for Manchester City and Marcus Rashford is also having a phenomenal season for United.
“But Bukayo is, hands down, the Footballer of the Year because he was England’s best player at the World Cup and he’s been the best player for the team eight points clear at the top of the Premier League.”
Despite the controversy surrounding some of the inclusions and exclusions, the Premier League TOTS represents some of the best footballers in the league this season.
It will be interesting to see how these players perform in the remaining games and whether any more surprises are in store for the fans.
