00:00Now, with Liverpool edging towards another Premier League title,
00:07the tension is turning to the standout performers that have driven their push this campaign.
00:12And the race for the club's player of the season is as fiercely contested as the Premier League once was itself.
00:19I spoke to Will Rooney of Liverpool World for the latest and there's no shortage of candidates.
00:24Virgil van Dijk has returned to imperious form at the back this season,
00:27anchoring a defence that has stood firm under pressure.
00:31Alexis McAllister has also been quietly influential, dictating tempo and stepping up in key moments.
00:38And then there's Mohamed Salah, still among the top scorers and delivering the most when it mattered.
00:44Young players like Conor Bradley have also broken through and shown maturity beyond their years this campaign.
00:50With every point vital and silverware up for grabs,
00:53the final weeks may well determine who claims the honour in a season defined by resilience, leadership and big game moments from Arnie Schlott's side.
01:05So, Will, looking at Liverpool and in terms of the title race,
01:08and we've obviously mentioned how much of a great achievement it was for Arnie Schlott to come in and do it in his first season.
01:14You know, taking nothing away from that, have they sort of won a weaker Premier League?
01:18Like, you know, obviously we've seen the fall off of Manchester City after an incredible four titles in a row.
01:24Arsenal were there and then they weren't suddenly.
01:28You know, you still have to go and do it, obviously.
01:30But is there that sort of doubt in terms of Liverpool's mind where they've had to go and win it?
01:36And it might have been a weaker Premier League this campaign round.
01:39But the theory certainly from some quarters, definitely those outside of the Red Harbour Merseyside that, as you say,
01:48have Liverpool took advantage of maybe a weaker Premier League?
01:52Well, I don't think it has because, you know, look at, for a standpoint,
01:57look at Aston Villa's performance against Paris Saint-Germain,
02:00a team who were arguably the best in Europe, they went and beat PSG.
02:06You know, a team who were, as we speak, sixth or seventh in the Premier League.
02:10Liverpool have beaten them comfortably this season and to do with Villa Park.
02:14So there's a few barometers.
02:16You look at the race for Europe now and the teams that are in it, it's really close.
02:21Teams like Fulham are up there and Brighton are up there and Bournemouth have been impressive.
02:25And Arna Stott said it a few times, you know, since he arrived from Holland,
02:31that in Holland, there's players at the bottom of the table who won't get in teams near the top.
02:37But that's not the case in the Premier League.
02:38I mean, yes, Liverpool were there until the final, probably final month, six weeks of last season,
02:46before they tailed off.
02:47They had something to build on.
02:49But no, I definitely think it's been a strong Premier League overall this season.
02:53And, Will, let's just look at Liverpool's season as a whole in terms of a player of the season pick.
03:00Who do you think has been the standout in this title charge season?
03:03Obviously, they haven't gone all the way elsewhere domestically, you know, on Europe as well.
03:08They obviously fell short.
03:10But in terms of consistency every week and really adapting well to Arnie Schlott's plans,
03:15obviously Mo Salah's had an unbelievable season.
03:18We've mentioned Van Dijk has been the bedrock.
03:20Is it one of those two or is there other picks to mention in terms of the player of the season?
03:26I think it has to be one of those two, yeah, just because of what they've brought week in, week out.
03:32Now, if you'd have asked me this two months ago, I'd have been tempted to see Ryan Gravenberge
03:38because he's been outstanding in the number six role.
03:41He has just tailed off a little bit, probably because he has played so much football.
03:47He's only 22, but as you say, Van Dijk, absolutely back to his best.
03:53He's been the leader throughout it all.
03:57A couple of mistakes lately, but apart from that, he's been pretty much impeccable throughout the season.
04:03He's made things look easy.
04:05Mo Salah's numbers have been incredible, having 32 goals and 23 assists.
04:11He is a winger who's going to win the Golden Boots, putting his name in the half of the Ballon d'Or.
04:19You could go for that, couldn't you?
04:20I think one player who maybe deserves a special mention is Alexis McAllister.
04:25He's gone about his business quietly.
04:27He's so important for the way that he makes this Liverpool team tick.
04:32And Ibrahim Karate as well, the Virgil van Dijk centre-back partner has been excellent.
04:40I think they'll be battling for the gong come the end of the season awards.
04:43I think they'll be in the season awards.
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