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Raheem Sterling, Paul Pogba and Virgil van Dijk.

Pogba the surprise inclusion in City and Liverpool-dominated PFA Team of the Year

The team is in…

LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER City dominate the Professional Footballers’ Association’s (PFA) Premier League Team of the Year, while there is a surprise inclusion for Manchester United’s Paul Pogba. 

City and Liverpool have been streets ahead of the rest in the Premier League this season and are in a two-way tussle for the title with three games to go. 

As such, 10 spots in the PFA’s Team of the Year are taken up by City and Liverpool players, making it the first time in the history of the combined XI that only three teams have been represented. 

Raheem Sterling and Virgil van Dijk – the two favourites for the individual prize – are present, with the former joined by team-mate Sergio Aguero and the Reds’ Sadio Mane in attack. 

Sterling is enjoying another marvellous season having scored 17 times and set up another 10, while Van Dijk has helped transform Liverpool into title challengers.

Ederson ends David de Gea’s four-year streak as the most-backed goalkeeper, while compatriot Fernandinho is in alongside Pogba, making it the first time two Brazilians have made it into the team in the same season. 

team PFA Twitter. PFA Twitter.

Bernardo Silva and Aymeric Laporte complete the City contingent, while Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson – the first Scottish player to be included since Darren Fletcher in 2009-10 – slot into a Liverpool-heavy back four. 

The most notable inclusion is surely that of United’s Pogba, however, with the Frenchman a regular target of criticism for a lack of consistency, particularly during the first half of the campaign under Jose Mourinho. 

He soon stepped his game up under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and has 13 goals and nine assists in 33 games, but a haul of seven penalties impacts his record significantly and he has been lambasted over recent weeks for a series of underwhelming performances. 

PFA Premier League Team of the Year in full: 

Ederson (Manchester City); Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City), Andy Robertson (Liverpool); Fernandinho (Manchester City), Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Bernardo Silva (Manchester City); Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Sergio Aguero (Manchester City), Sadio Mane (Liverpool).

- Originally published at 09.13

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    Mute Joe Vlogs
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    Apr 27th 2019, 7:11 PM

    Delighted. They have been playing excellent rugby all season, and fully deserve to be in the champions cup, not to mention in the playoffs!

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    Mute Ricky Spanish
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    Apr 27th 2019, 7:17 PM

    @Joe Vlogs: Agree great for Italian rugby and the league overall.

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    Mute Kingshu
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    Apr 27th 2019, 7:44 PM

    No one calling to have the Italians removed form the league anymore. Hopefully this works out well and Italian rugby gets more exposure and Benetton can build a larger fanbase.

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    Mute mrbryanrussell
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    Apr 27th 2019, 8:20 PM

    @Kingshu: agreed but in the same breath everyone will be hoping for them in their group in the champions cup. Delighted for them and they have earned it.

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    Mute Mick Dougan
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    Apr 27th 2019, 7:37 PM

    Great news for Conor O’Shea too. Fair play to all of them, refusing to give up on themselves.

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    Mute Olive Barnes
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    Apr 27th 2019, 7:58 PM

    Well done, Benetton. Delighted for them.

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    Mute Fred McHugh
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    Apr 27th 2019, 7:36 PM

    Conor O Shea’s handy work

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    Mute Pete McEvoy
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    Apr 27th 2019, 11:18 PM

    @Fred McHugh: Does he actually have any input as how Benetton are coached though? He’s not listed on their coaching ticket. I’ve seen a few plaudits thrown his way this year when they’ve done well and tbh they read a little like the ‘Lancaster’s Leinster’ headlines you see in the English papers.

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    Mute Martin Quinn
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    Apr 27th 2019, 11:59 PM

    @Pete McEvoy:

    Interesting point !!

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    Mute Mike Rugby Nuts
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    Apr 28th 2019, 1:44 PM

    @Pete McEvoy: o Sheas job is a top down rebuild of Italian rugby. He is over everything rugby in Italy.

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    Mute Roibeard O' Beachain
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    Apr 27th 2019, 7:51 PM

    That’s class. Well done!

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    Mute BMJF
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    Apr 27th 2019, 8:09 PM

    Would be some scalp if the beat Munster in Quarter final

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    Mute Tim Magner
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    Apr 27th 2019, 8:20 PM

    @BMJF: and as leinster well know, they’re tricky opponents

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