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Why Bukayo Saka was always going to miss out as Liverpool star beats Arsenal man to top award

The results are in, the votes have been counted and verified and the Reach Fans' Footballer of the Year has been named. Mohamed Salah has won the top award for the third time, adding to his 2020 and 2021 wins in the category.

And you can't really deny the Egyptian the top honour, given his 2024. Salah has 16 goals and 13 assists this season already in all competitions, adding to the nine goals and five assists he notched in the second half of last season.

That makes it 43 goal involvements in 2024, with Salah leading Liverpool on a Premier League title challenge this season. A pretty good return for the Egyptian and shows just why he was chosen as the Fans Footballer of the Year for 2024.

Arsenal star Bukayo Saka was in the running for the top gong, running the Egyptian close during the voting process, but eventually falling short. And it's clear - just about - to see why.

Saka has had a pretty good year himself, but his stats do not quite compare to Salah's. Had Arsenal gone on to win the Premier League last season, ahead of Manchester City, the Englishman might have stood a good chance, given he was the leading light of the Gunners' charge.

Saka has nine goals and 13 assists so far this season, which is an incredible return. Added to the 11 goals and three assists he got in the second half of last season, he totals 20 goals and 16 assists - 36 goal involvements and seven short of Salah's total.

The Arsenal star actually finished fourth in the overall vote, picking up the Arsenal club award. Saka was behind Salah, with Chelsea's Cole Palmer in second and Newcastle's supporters rallying behind their man to see Anthony Gordon finish third.

Saka would definitely have had an argument to finish third in the rankings and a spot on the podium, but Gordon's support in the north east was clear as he took third spot.

You can see the full results here, with something of a surprise in fifth place too!

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