Why Man City's best player keeps getting overlooked for Player of the Year awards

A video of Fulham players choosing their Premier League Player of the Season award saw Phil Foden secure more than half of the votes, which would make the league award and PFA Player of the Year accolade a landslide if it were repeated across the division.

Foden has already won the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award with 42 per cent of the vote, and could add a double after being nominated for the Premier League Player of the Season and Young Player gongs. He is favourite to be crowned PFA Player of the Year, which would cap an incredible individual season for Manchester City.

However, while Foden is clearly favourite, a clear omission from the Premier League list was Rodri. Erling Haaland was the only other City name on the eight-strong shortlist. Erling Haaland - who received no votes in the FWA voting process - is up for both Premier League awards thanks to his 25 league goals this term, but there is no room for Rodri, who was third on the FWA list.

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Rodri has not tasted defeat for City in over 70 games, and is the player who makes City tick. Only four players - Haaland, Foden and Julian Alvarez - have more goal contributions in the league than Rodri, and he is on 22 goals or assists in all competitions. Only Kevin De Bruyne (16) has more than his 14 assists.

The midfielder has added a goal threat to his reliable play in midfield, and has kept his level of consistency for a number of seasons. City's three defeats from three when Rodri was suspended earlier this season show his importance to the club. He is arguably City's best player, or at least their most important, but apparently he is not one of the best eight players in the league.

Declan Rice, who has been brilliant for Arsenal, is on the list. However, as a player in the same position - has he been better than Rodri? This is where the awards get complicated, because it's hard to argue that Foden and Haaland are not among the top eight performers, along with Rice - but surely Rodri is too. And we haven't even mentioned Kevin De Bruyne.

Speaking after only finishing fifth in the Balon d'Or rankings in 2023, the midfielder suggested that players in his position, and also who are Spanish, don't always get recognition for their performances in the individual arena. "I am not surprised.. This is normal. I understand very well how things work in these individual awards," he told the Mirror in February.

"They are based on marketing, money and advertising. There have been midfielders before who were also Spanish who did not get what they deserved. Do you understand what I mean? What ultimately matters to me in football Is what I achieved collectively."

Rodri may have to fall back on collective medals and trophies again this season - although he is second favourite with the bookmakers for the PFA award. And who knows, if he helps City to another double, while still remaining unbeaten, surely he will be in consideration for these awards in future.