MANCHESTER, England (BN24) — Mohamed Salah added another milestone to his glittering career on Tuesday night, claiming the PFA Player of the Year award for a record third time as Liverpool and Nottingham Forest stole the spotlight at the annual ceremony — leaving both Manchester United and Manchester City without representation.
The awards, staged at Manchester Opera House for the third consecutive year, delivered another painful reminder of the decline of United and City’s grip on English football. For the third straight year, no Manchester United player featured in the men’s Premier League Team of the Year. The last Red Devil to earn recognition was Cristiano Ronaldo in 2022, a stark symbol of United’s ongoing struggles at Old Trafford.
Manchester City, who have long dominated under Pep Guardiola, also saw none of their stars included, underscoring what was a comparatively disappointing season by their high standards. Despite losing to Arsenal on opening day, City may yet bounce back this campaign, but the awards made clear their absence from the elite last season.
Liverpool, however, celebrated a night of triumph. Salah, 33, was recognized after a prolific season in which he scored 29 league goals and provided a career-best 18 assists, leading the Reds to their second Premier League title and securing his fourth Golden Boot. He was joined in the PFA Team of the Year by captain Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, and Alexis Mac Allister, solidifying Liverpool’s dominance under new manager Arne Slot.
Nottingham Forest also enjoyed a breakthrough, with goalkeeper Matz Sels and striker Chris Wood making the Team of the Year — a remarkable achievement that highlighted their resurgence in the top flight. Arsenal, runners-up once again, saw William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Declan Rice named to the XI, though none of their forwards were included. Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak also earned a place after a standout campaign.
Among the other honorees, Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, now at Liverpool, rounded out the Team of the Year. In the women’s category, Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey was named overall PFA Women’s Player of the Year.
The night also celebrated rising stars and seasoned professionals across divisions. Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers was named Young Player of the Year, while Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, who recorded an astonishing 29 clean sheets in 45 games while conceding just 16 goals, won the Championship Player of the Year before his return to Manchester City.
Special merit awards went to England manager Gareth Southgate and departing Chelsea Women’s manager Emma Hayes, recognizing their outstanding contributions to the sport.
The PFA, under chief executive Maheta Molango, has revamped the awards format in recent years, replacing the former London-based dinner with a concise 90-minute theatre show. With voting now extended until June 8 to better reflect the full season, the ceremony continues to evolve while honoring the game’s brightest stars.
