Arsenal edged Premier League title rivals Manchester City in the PFA Team of the Year award for 2023/24.
The Gunners had five total representatives to reigning champions City’s four in the final lineup revealed at Tuesday night’s glamorous annual PFA Awards ceremony at the Opera House in Manchester, despite being beaten to the title again in heartbreaking fashion on the last day of last season.
David Raya was selected in goal after a stellar Golden Glove-winning campaign on loan from Brentford, which has since been made permanent for a fee of £27million, with Arsenal’s first-choice centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes both getting the nod alongside midfield pair Martin Odegaard - the Gunners captain - and Declan Rice.
City’s quartet began with Kyle Walker in defence, joined by midfield master Rodri plus goal machine Erling Haaland and England’s Phil Foden, who clinched the men’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year award on Tuesday ahead of Haaland, Odegaard, Rodri, Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins.
Completing the defence was Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, with the attack also featuring Aston Villa and England striker Watkins.
Palmer was a major omission from the PFA Team of the Year after winning the men’s PFA Young Player of the Year award earlier on Tuesday following a dream debut campaign at Chelsea that included 27 goals and 15 assists across all competitions, beating last year’s winner Bukayo Saka - also a huge snub from the Team of the Year after playing an instrumental role in Arsenal’s latest title bid with 20 goals and 14 assists.
The PFA Team of the Year for the Women’s Super League (WSL) was also revealed on Tuesday night, dominated by runners-up Manchester City who had six total representatives in new women’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year award winner Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw, Khiara Keating, Lauren Hemp, Alex Greenwood, Yui Hasegawa and Laia Aleixandri.
Champions Chelsea had three players in the team in Niamh Charles, Erin Cuthbert and Lauren James, with Arsenal defender Lotte Wubben-Moy also making the cut alongside Manchester United’s women’s PFA Young Player of the Year Grace Clinton, who starred on loan at Tottenham last season.
