Guardiola, Dias Win Premier League Manager, Player of the Season

Ruben Dias, Phil Foden and Pep Guardiola

Ruben Dias wins Premier League Player of the Year award after leading Man City to the title in his debut season following transfer from Benfica; Pep Guardiola named Manager of the Season; Phil Foden claims Young Player of the Season award.

Manchester City have secured a hat-trick of Premier League awards for 2020/21, with Ruben Dias, Phil Foden and Pep Guardiola voted the player, young player and manager of the season respectively.

Defender Dias and midfielder Foden played crucial roles in City’s title-winning campaign, as well as helping Guardiola’s men claim the Carabao Cup and reach the Champions League final.

After joining from Benfica in September, Dias’ 32 league appearances saw him contribute to 15 clean sheets and make 35 interceptions, 24 tackles, 23 blocks and 135 recoveries.

The 24-year-old Portugal international was last month named the Football Writers’ Association’s Footballer of the Year, and he is on the shortlist for the Professional Footballers’ Association’s player of the year.

The nominees Dias beat to take the Premier League award were his City team-mate Kevin De Bruyne, who won it last year, Bruno Fernandes, Mohamed Salah, Mason Mount, Tomas Soucek, Harry Kane and Jack Grealish.

Foden, 21, pipped Dias, Mount, Marcus Rashford, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Illan Meslier and Dominic Calvert-Lewin to the young player award.

The City academy product, currently with England ahead of the Euros, scored nine goals and produced five assists in 28 league appearances across 2020/21. He is also a PFA player of the year nominee.

Guardiola, whose side finished 12 points clear of second-placed Manchester United, wins the managerial award for a third time, having also done so on the other two occasions he guided City to the Premier League title, in 2017/18 and 2018/19.

The other nominees were United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Leicester’s Brendan Rodgers, West Ham’s David Moyes and Leeds’ Marcelo Bielsa.

Another award for City came with Liam Delap being named Premier League 2 player of the season.

Erik Lamela’s rabona effort for Tottenham against Arsenal in March was voted Premier League goal of the season.

June 05, 2021