Liverpool star tipped for ‘surprise’ PFA FOTY award as ‘only Haaland’ is better
Glen Johnson has produced a “surprise” by saying Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez would get his vote for PFA Footballer of the Year.
Nunez has scored 11 goals and made another eight assists in 29 Premier League appearances this season.
Liverpool: Darwin Nunez is ‘last person’ defenders want to play against
Despite his impressive return in 2023/24, the Uruguayan is a 250/1 shot to win the coveted award, which makes him the 23rd favourite, behind team-mates Luis Diaz and Dominik Szoboszlai, as per Oddschecker.
Just for the fun of it, he is also less likely to win it than Kai Havertz, John Stones, Julian Alvarez and Bernardo Silva. That is according to the bookies, of course.
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That is perhaps a disservice because his form has been much improved to his debut season at Anfield, but it is also fair because he should not win the award with Rodri, Phil Foden and Declan Rice among those heavily fancied.
Regardless, former Liverpool and England right-back says Darwin – who is statistically the third-worst finisher in the Premier League – would get his vote.
“I’d probably go with a surprise, someone like Darwin Nunez,” Johnson told Squawka when asked who should win PFA Footballer of the Year.
“People were saying that he doesn’t score enough goals, but when you think about the way that he plays, he’s probably the last person that you want to play against in the Premier League and that’s saying something with the other players that are available.
“But yeah I’d probably go with someone like Nunez because he’d probably be the first striker, other than [Erling] Haaland, that I’d want in my team.”
Johnson also praised Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, who has been in fantastic form this year.
“He’s come up and he’s been playing out of position and sacrificing some of his ability to do a job for the team which I think he’s done well,” he added. “But he’s also been getting on the scoresheet and scoring some really big goals.
“I think he’s surprised me in a sense of how well he’s adapted because he’s fantastic going forward but he’s been asked to play in a deeper role and it just shows you how professional the guy is and how much he wants to help the team.”
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