Rice, Palmer and Van Dijk nominated for the Premier League Player of the Season award | OneFootball

The Premier League has unveiled its nominees for the Player of the Season award.

Arsenal midfield duo Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard lead the way after helping the Gunners in their bid to claim a first title in 20 years.

Rice has added steel to Arsenal’s centre, displaying his ability to break up attacks and drive the ball forward.

The England international has bagged seven goals and eight assists. He has mastered set-piece deliveries, which have been a potent weapon for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Odegaard is Arsenal’s orchestrator, pulling the strings with his metronomic passing. The 25-year-old, who can split any defence with exquisite passes, has tallied eight goals and eight assists.

Chelsea’s Cole Palmer cannot be discarded as a top contender for the prize following a delightfully surprising debut campaign for the Blues.

Palmer became Chelsea’s talisman when the club desperately needed one. The former Manchester City man has notched 21 goals and nine assists.

Erling Braut Haaland, who claimed last season’s award has racked up 25 goals and five assists for Manchester this term.

Haaland has shattered scoring records for fun in 63 appearances for City. No player has more goals in the Premier League since his debut last season (61).

Haaland is only 23 with over 250 senior career goals. There is so much room for improvement, and the thought of a complete Haaland is a terrifying prospect for opponents,

Phil Foden is also up for the prize after a terrific campaign for the Cityzens.

The Stockport-born star has bagged 16 goals and eight assists for the club this term, aiding their bid for a record fourth successive title.

Like Haaland, the 23-year-old is also in with a chance of winning the Young Player of the Season award.

Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins is spearheading their bid for a Champions League place with 19 goals and 12 assists.

The England international is only the third Villa player to register 50 goals in the Premier League and is on course to break Dwight Yorke’s record of 60.

Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak has put his clinical finishing on display this season, marking himself as one of the top striking prospects in his age group.

The Swede has hit the back of the net 20 times in the league with a healthy 29% conversion rate. The lethal centre-forward deserves his place among the nominees for the award.

Liverpool’s Virgil Van Dijk has been typically rock solid at the back for the Reds, winning 77% of his duels. His excellent passing helps Jurgen Klopp’s side start attacks from the back.

After a dip in form last season, Van Dijk has returned to his usual levels, re-establishing himself as the best centre-back in Europe.

However, his teammate Mohamed Salah is a surprise exclusion from the nominee list after scoring 18 goals and creating 22 big chances.

Bukayo Saka is absent from the list despite helping Arsenal to the top of the table with 16 goals and nine assists, while Man City star Rodri also misses out.