Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson has dubbed the decision to leave teammate Rodri off the Premier League Player of the Season shortlist as “unacceptable” but added that he will be rooting for Phil Foden to win the award.
Foden’s 13 goals and eight assists this season have put him on a shortlist that also includes Erling Haaland, Alexander Isak, Martin Ødegaard, Cole Palmer, Declan Rice, Virgil van Dijk and Ollie Watkins. The England international was named the Football Writers’ Association Men’s Footballer of the Year earlier this month.
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Ederson’s surprise at Rodri not being nominated comes as the Spain international has been an integral member of a Man City side that could lift their fourth consecutive title this weekend.
City’s three losses in the league this season — against Wolves, Arsenal and Aston Villa — all came while Rodri was suspended. He’s now gone 48 games without featuring in a losing side in the Premier League.
“There are good players, but I see Rodri as a great candidate who isn’t on the list. I don’t understand why he’s not on the list either. Honestly, that’s unacceptable,” Ederson told ESPN Brasil.
“If you look at his year, his campaign, the last few seasons he’s been playing and see that he’s not on the list, it’s absurd. I don’t know what criteria they use to nominate players, but there are also great players competing. But I see Rodri as a great candidate to win and unfortunately he’s not on the list.
“So I think I’ll be rooting for Phil to win, because Phil is also having a great season, he’s helped us a lot. This season he’s scored more goals, provided more assists, been more consistent and more important to the team too.”
City can clinch the title on Sunday if they win their remaining two games against Tottenham and West Ham. It would make it Pep Guardiola’s sixth title in seven years, and Ederson said the team’s repeated success has seen the Spanish coach evolve his methods.
“You can always change, there are always changes. And just as he’s changed, I’ve changed too, and he’s getting more experienced, with less hair. But there I see him as a calmer coach now,” he said.
“It’s also because the team is already used to the way we play, we don’t train too much, we train the basics, because it’s a team that’s been together for a long time. So that adds a lot to our work and what we impose on the pitch. So I think that in that respect I see a more relaxed coach.”
City have been rivalled to the title for the second successive season by Arsenal, who are one point ahead of them albeit having played a game more and Ederson believes the reigning champions’ experience at this stage of the season will get them over the line against an Arsenal side that are aiming to end their club’s 20-year wait for a league title.
“We’ve experienced it on two previous occasions against Liverpool, which was practically the same way, and this year is no different. We have to win the remaining two games if we want to be champions.
“That’s where the main factor comes in — the mentality that has been created in this group. So the group is also an experienced group, already used to experiencing these moments, and we’re fully capable of doing it again.”