Mohamed Salah vs Kevin De Bruyne: How does the Liverpool goalscoring machine and Manchester City star compare… and our writers have their say on the Player of the Year award
Liverpool's Salah leads the scoring charts with 28 while De Bruyne's midfield masterclass has Man City on the brink of the title
JOSE MOURINHO will always rue the fact he sold Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne for peanuts while manager of Chelsea.
The duo both gained experience in Europe before returning to the Premier League with unfinished business and points to prove.
And they are certainly proving their worth having performed head and shoulders above every other player in the Premier League.
The award to win the Player of the Year is a two horse race as De Bruyne's brilliance has given Manchester City one hand on the Premier League title.
As for Salah, a £34million summer signing from Roma, nobody in Europe can match the 36 goals the electric Egyptian has scored for Liverpool so far this season.
28 of those have come in the top flight, just one shy of Harry Kane's total for the entirety of last season.
Salah's wizardry on the wing has drawn comparisons to Lionel Messi while De Bruyne's midfield masterclass has been the crucial cog in a scintillating City side.
The Liverpool ace has contributed to 37 of his side's goals this season compared to De Bruyne's 21.
IAN WRIGHT Liverpool star Mo Salah’s situation is similar to that of Philippe Coutinho’s… and we all know how that ended
But the Belgium international has remarkably misplaced just 367 of the 2,208 passes his has made to his team-mates this campaign.
In a poll created for SunSport readers in December, 70 per cent of the 2,400 people who answered claimed Salah had performed better than De Bruyne.
And now our writers at SunSport have their say on who they think should be crowned the Premier League's Player of the Year.
Martin Blackburn
"Salah making a late run at just the right time, while De Bruyne has gone off the boil just slightly. But De Bruyne's earlier role in City's incredible season should not be forgotten and he deserves it."
Graeme Bryce
"Mo Salah – I was mesmerised by Salah’s pace and flair when he lit up the Asia Trophy in pre-season. My mind continues to be boggled by his brilliance. De Bruyne is exceptional but I haven’t seen anyone rip up Premier League defences in the way Salah has, since Cristiano Ronaldo was in his pomp at Manchester United."
Dan King
"Kevin De Bruyne - He's the hub of the team which is going to win the Premier League by a street, playing arguably the best football since it was formed in 1992. Despite moving to a deeper-lying role, he's scored seven times and has 14 assists, more than any other player.
"Salah is the star of a team which will probably win nothing; De Bruyne stands out in a team of stars that is going to lift at least two trophies. The expectations De Bruyne is exceeding, and the pressure he is coping with, are higher."
Charlie Wyett
"Mo Salah - Struggled to make an impact at Chelsea so to arrive from Roma and make such an impact is extraordinary."
Phil Thomas
"Kevin De Bruyne is Europe’s leading assist maker with 16 and manages to shine in a team of superstars, while Salah is effectively the only one at Liverpool.
"A redefined role as a box-to-box midfielder has taken him to new heights and he has managed all that despite being the bully boys’ No1 target. One for the gingers."
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Mark Irwin
"Kevin De Bruyne. I have always held that the Footballer of the Year should play for a team which wins one of the major honours.
"As outstanding as Salah has been, he is likely to end the season empty-handed at Liverpool. De Bruyne’s consistent brilliance in what is set to be a record-breaking season for Manchester City has to be recognised."
Andy Dillon
"Kevin De Bruyne: For nothing else than the fact that Manchester City's elegant midfield star gets red cheeks and looks totally exhausted five minutes into every game he plays. It gives us all hope. It's clearly a double bluff because he has an engine which hums quietly and efficiently like an Airbus 380."
Martin Lipton
"Kevin De Bruyne: I have always believed the Footballer of the Year is the player most responsible for his club winning the Premier League - after all, that is the thing we play all season for. And, without any doubt, Kevin de Bruyne has been the outstanding player, for the outstanding side."