Liverpool, Iraq and Benatia honoured in our three 2013 awards

Sir Alex Ferguson retired, Gareth Bale moved to Real Madrid for a world record transfer fee, Luis Suarez bit Branislav Ivanovic. 2013 was full of memorable moments in football.

With no more Premier League football now until 2014, it is time to have a look back down the last 12 months and hand out three accolades for those moments that deserve another mention.

Let’s see if you agree with our selections?

Best Premier League game – Everton 3-3 Liverpool

There are a few contenders here. The Premier League can boast West Brom’s efforts in scoring five at Old Trafford on the final day of last season, while Manchester City putting six past Tottenham and then league leaders Arsenal were breath-taking performances.

Robin van Persie ended last season as the Premier League’s top scorer and his hat-trick in sealing the title for Man Utd against Aston Villa was also memorable.

However, in terms of an actual match, the 3-3 draw in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park this season had a bit of everything.

Both sides were positive and attacking in their set-ups, leading to a wonderfully open game and the defending for the most part was dreadful at best, especially from set pieces, which ensured goals.

There was entertainment from beginning to end and it created a different type of Merseyside derby to those widely seen with David Moyes in charge of Everton and Rafa Benitez for the most part at Liverpool.

Biggest football achievement – Iraq reaching the FIFA under-20 World Cup semi finals

Iraq as a nation is not known for its football prowess, with a highest ever world ranking of 39 in 2004, a current world ranking of 109 and just a single qualification to the World Cup in 1986, where they went out in the group stages.

The unknown Hussein Saeed, who never played outside of Iraq, is both their most capped player and top scorer, although Swindon’s Yaser Kasim is perhaps slightly better known, who was recently called up to the full squad for the first time.