Coral’s Premier League awards 2014/15: Player of the Season

David de Gea
Only Spurs skipper Hugo Lloris (94) has made more saves for a top seven Premier League side than Manchester United number one De Gea (80), who has played as big a part as anyone as Louis van Gaal has sought to stamp his mark on Old Trafford this term.

This Spanish stopper should not suffer the indignity of being behind over-the-hill Real Madrid counterpart Iker Casillas in the pecking order for playing for their country.

La Roja boss Vicente del Bosque clearly has a soft spot for this Los Blancos legend, but his time has come and gone. De Gea’s continuing improvement make his candidature for our top gong more than worthy against six outfield options, and he are some of his most superb stops:

Cesc Fabregas
Proven Premier League performers are few and far between, so Chelsea signing ex-Arsenal midfield maestro and captain Fabregas was arguably as big a coup as capturing Costa. How has the Spaniard rewarded Jose Mourinho’s desire to get him? With a superb 17 top-flight assists in 28 appearances, which you can see below.

Silky skills, an eye for a pass and all-round box-to-box brilliance are just some of the attributes fantastic Fabregas has displayed since switching to Stamford Bridge. His big money move to boyhood club Barcelona may not have worked out, but he is back in a league tailor-made for him.

Alexis Sanchez
Like Fabregas above, Chile star Sanchez was another kicked to the curb by Barca last summer, only it’s Arsenal not Chelsea that have profited on this occasion. Could this nimble South American forward cut it amid the physicality of the Premier League? You bet.

Sanchez has scored 14 times, and made eight other goals in league action this term. That is some start to life in England, and it could get better as the Gunners are odds-on 4/5 favourites to win the FA Cup. He just wants to run defences ragged, and looks to be the perfect foil for Olivier Giroud, coming in from the flank in support. Here’s a reminder of Sanchez’s scoring efforts:

Harry Kane
It doesn’t bear thinking about, but where would Tottenham be without one of their own? Spurs striker Kane is arguably the find of the season. Thrust centre stage by Mauricio Pochettino to spare the blushes of expensive flops Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado, the England cap has taken full advantage of this opportunity.

Aguero and Costa above are established footballers of international renown, yet Kane sits level with them on top of the Premier League scoring charts (10/11 joint-favourite to be there at the end of this season) at the time of writing. Scoring 29 across all competitions for Tottenham and on his Three Lions debut are major achievement.

Is Kane more like Teddy Sheringham or Alan Shearer? That’s an argument for another day, but he has plenty of brilliant attributes that are catapulting him close to stardom and not just at Spurs either. Like the below video, Kane is becoming the golden boy of English football:

Eden Hazard
Belgium sensation Hazard completes our candidates, and is the third nominee from Chelsea. We’re talking about most-fouled Premier League player here. His dazzling dribbles have resulted in a dozen top-flight strikes.

Mourinho has worked wonders on Hazard’s all-round game, so he even does some of the dirty work tracking back now! Some say a Ballon d’Or beckons when the galactic star of Cristiano Ronaldo burns out and the magic of Lionel Messi fades. For now, Hazard must content himself with making our awards shortlist.