Alan Shearer has picked his Premier League Team of the Year, naming four Liverpool stars after their title success, but overlooking the entire Nottingham Forest side
Alan Shearer has picked six players from Liverpool and Arsenal in his XI
Alan Shearer has named four Liverpool stars in his Team of the Season but completed overlooked the Premier League's surprise package Nottingham Forest - who could yet secure Champions League football on the final day.
The Reds have dominated since early on with no side able to challenge them. Arne Slot's side won the title with weeks to spare and they have Mohamed Salah among the four players picked by Shearer, who said: "The easiest decision of them all. Has a player ever had a better Premier League season?"
Another of their leading lights in Virgil van Dijk has also got the nod. Alisson is in between the sticks with Alexis Mac Allister picked in midfield despite team-mate Ryan Gravenberch potentially being equally deserving of inclusion.
Arsenal will finish second for a third straight year and Shearer has picked William Saliba alongside Van Dijk. The Premier League icon admits: "It was a close call between him and Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic".
Declan Rice has enjoyed another stellar year, taking his game to another level in the final third. He's scored nine times and the ex-Hammer forms part of a three-man midfield. Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers among those to just miss out.
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Newcastle have two players in the XI with Shearer picking Sandro Tonali over his Magpies midfield partner Bruno Guimarães. Alexander Isak has broken records at St James' Park and he forms part of an attacking trio alongside Salah and Bryan Mbeumo at Brentford.
His Bees team-mate Yoane Wissa was close to getting the nod with Chris Wood and Eberechi Eze also among those who were considered by Shearer. The two full-backs come from Crystal Palace and Bournemouth, who are another side to have exceeded expectations.
Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk were crucial figures in Liverpool's title success
Milos Kerkez, who is heavily linked with a move to Liverpool, is picked on the left. Shearer commented on how he is "as good going forward as he is defensively". Daniel Munoz, recently an FA Cup winner with the Eagles, is on the other flank and has been labelled as "one of the best attacking full-backs in the Premier League".
Slot, in his debut year, was named as the best manager by Shearer following a stellar effort in the aftermath of Jurgen Klopp's exit. The Newcastle legend said the Dutchman "has taken the club to a new level with the players that were already there. What a job he's done."
Shearer's Premier League Team of the Season: Alisson; Munoz, Saliba, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Tonli, Rice, Mac Allister; Salah, Isak, Mbeumo.
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