We may only be halfway through the season, but the players in with a shout of obtaining each of the coveted end-of-season awards are now firmly starting to shine through. Jamie Vardy is yet again taking the division by storm, thumping goals home at an alarming rate. The Foxes marksman has already notched 16 league goals in 17 appearances for Leicester this season and is now clear favourite to scoop the Premier League Golden Boot at the end of the campaign.
Liverpool winger Sadio Mane is currently 6/4 favourite to win the PFA Player of the Year award come April, while Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne follows closely behind him at odds of 3/1. Unsurprisingly, Vardy is also among the potential players to be crowned the best player in the top-flight this season – priced up at 6/1 – while Raheem Sterling, Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk make up the rest of the list, priced at odds of 8/1, 12/1 and 16/1 respectively.
When it comes to the PFA Young Player of the Year award, though, we are seeing an array of ‘market movers’ take pole-position in the betting markets. Liverpool and England right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is current clear favourite at odds of 5/4 – slashed considerably from his price in the summer, 10/1.
Current second-favourite to claim the PFA Young Player of the Year award is Chelsea front man Tammy Abraham. The 22-year-old is enjoying a sensational start to his debut season in the Premier League, scoring 13 goals for the Blues in all competitions. Prior to the campaign beginning in August, Abraham was priced at a whopping 50/1 to win this award, so it is testament to his progress that he is now just 3/1 to get his hands on the prize in five months’ time.
Leicester’s James Maddison follows closely behind in third – priced at odds of 6/1 – after a magnificent opening half to his campaign. The England international has scored eight goals and provided three assists for Leicester and is one of the main reasons why the Foxes find themselves second in the Premier League standings at the moment. Maddison is now one of the most sought after young players in world football and will only continue to improve as time goes on. At 6/1, he could be a worthwhile bet.
There is also plenty of value in Marcus Rashford at 20/1. The Manchester United forward is in scintillating form at the moment, having scored 14 goals and provided four assists for the Red Devils, so definitely has a strong chance of going the distance this season. The same can be said for Tottenham’s Dele Alli, who seems to have been given a new lease of life by new Spurs boss Jose Mourinho, scoring three goals under the Portuguese gaffer since his appointment last month. The 23-year-old is priced favourably at odds of 18/1 at the moment, so is another player who could be worth a punt at this stage of proceedings.
PFA Young Player of the Year award top 10 candidates:
Trent Alexander-Arnold – 5/4
Tammy Abraham – 3/1
James Maddison – 6/1
Mason Mount – 7/1
Dele Alli – 18/1
Marcus Rashford – 20/1
Jack Grealish – 25/1
Gabriel Jesus – 33/1
Ben Chilwell – 33/1
Christian Pulisic – 33/1