Sportscafe’s 2021/22 Premier League season’s end of season awards

Manager of the season

Best Goal of the Season

SL – Mohamed Salah vs Manchester City: I really tried, I really really tried to find a better one. But after cutting down the list from all 1071 goals to just 29, nothing even came close. Sure, James Ward-Prowse’s array of free-kicks were glorious, Ruben Neves’ chip over Ben Foster cheeky and Sterling’s finish vs Everton perfect but compared to this? Nothing. There’s just something about a man beating four world-class defenders and a world-class keeper that is jaw-dropping.

AJ – Mohamed Salah: The mercurial Egyptian has again proved his worth to the Merseyside club by scoring and assisting plenty of goals! Salah scored 23 goals to spearhead a title challenge for his side while also being very selfless and registering 14 assists. The Egyptian did drift off towards the end of the campaign but that can be attributed to being a key cog in what has been a long season. The Liverpool No 11 won the Premier League Golden Boot award alongside Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min for the third time in his Reds career.

SL – Heung-Min Son: Since this is Big Six only, the options are plentiful. Bukayo Saka has been a gem, Sadio Mane was back to his best, Kevin De Bruyne dragged City across at times and Mo Salah was unplayable in the first half of the season. But as far as consistency and just sheer quality goes, my hat has to go to the lovely Heung-Min Son. 23 goals, 9 assists and his consistency meant that Harry Kane’s lack of form meant nothing. That there, is a £100 million player.

The Portuguese fullback took a massive step forward in terms of his performances this season as the defender was one of the best in a title-winning City side. In a team full of creators, Cancelo was able to match the quality of output of his own more illustrious teammates and set up 7 goals for his side. Not only that, while he has faced criticism for his defensive displays in the past, the full-back was solid across both the left and right side and was also one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Outright winner – Joao Cancelo 

The West Ham man has been one of the most consistent players in the Premier League this season as the attacker combined his high work ethic along with flair to match the output of some of the best players in the Premier League. The Hammers star registered double figures in both goals and assists as he scored and set up 12 goals apiece for his side. The 25-year-old was crucial in solidifying European aspirations ahead of the campaign and was one of the key performers in an improved West Ham side.

Outright winner – Jarrod Bowen

AJ – Marc Cucurella:  In my opinion, Brighton's improved form and fortunes were cemented by the reliable performances of Marc Cucurella. The Spanish defender was a breath of fresh air as his energy and dynamism added another dimension to Graham Potter’s attack.  The 23-year-old made 35 appearances for the Seagulls as they relied on the Spaniard’s excellence to solidify their record their highest-ever Premier League finish with a record points total of 51 from 38 matches.

SL – Marc Guehi: Eyebrows were raised after Patrick Vieira and Crystal Palace signed this Chelsea starlet for a rather expensive £18 million but my god, has he paid it back in spades. Equal parts calm and aggressive, Guehi has been the perfect addition to a Palace defense that lost more than a few key stars last summer. Not only that, he became the Eagles’ youngest captain in more than a decade in February, showing that the future is a bright one at Selhurst.

There’s definitely something cooking at Crystal Palace because last season this award went to the Eberechi Eze and this term, it goes to Michael Olise. Dejan Kulusevski does have a claim for the title as well but given that he played only half the season, the Swede is out-done and rightfully because Olise has been a gem. Just seven-goal contributions but the talent, the guile and creativity plus that lovely turn of pace and tekkers show that Olise has what it takes to build a lovely career.

Outright winner – Michael Olise

AJ – Tottenham 3-2 Manchester City:  Manchester City needed to continue their good run of form by beating Tottenham in order to keep the pressure on title challengers Liverpool. Yet at the same time, Antonio Conte’s side had just started to believe in the prospect of finishing in a Champions League spot. City looked to brush off an easy assignment at home although they were stunned when Tottenham took the lead twice to leave the English champions desperate to find the equalizer. They did score in stoppage time via a well taken Riyad Mahrez penalty and the home crowd rallied their side to find a way to seal all three points but Harry Kane had the last laugh as he headed home the winner to stun the Etihad.

SL – Liverpool 3-3 Brentford: Jurgen Klopp summed it up perfectly with “It was a wild ride.” Because it was and the wow-factor of the game wasn’t Liverpool, it was the fact that Brentford simply didn’t care that it was Liverpool. From the moment go, the Bees hurried and hassled the Reds, pressed them like a memory from the Liverpool past and stunned the away fans. But the Reds still conceded, then equalised and took the lead only for the Bees to storm their way back. Curtis Jones then smashed home a stunner, Salah spurned a glorious chance and Yoane Wissa made them pay with the equaliser, eight minutes from 90.

Best signing

After what happened to him last summer, the sheer fact that Christian Eriksen signed for a club is incredible. The fact that he signed for a Premier League club and transformed Brentford into a potential top half team is extraordinary. That’s because the Bees, prior to signing the Dane, looked wrung out and bound to go down but then Eriksen walked in. They won seven of the ten games he started in and that Chelsea performance was thrillingly awesome. It means that whether he stays or goes, Eriksen will forever be remembered by the Brentford faithful.

Worst Signing

AJ – Romelu Luaku: Much was expected of Romelu Lukaku after he made his return to London from Inter. But an ill-judged interview and inconsistency has marred the Belgian's spell at the club. A return of only five league goals for a player expected to catapult the European champions to title glory tells its own story. The Belgian is now the backup to Kai Havertz and his future at Stamford Bridge is under scrutiny due to his inadaptability and failure to mark his own stamp on the pitch.

Best Save:

AJ – David De Gea vs Wolves: There were quite a few eye-watering saves in the Premier League although none was better than Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea’s double save against Wolves. Roman Saiss rose highest from an incoming inswinging corner and sent a thumping header at goal but De Gea was at the right place at the right time to deny the defender. He did deny the defender but no one expected the Wolves man to be denied again by De Gea on the rebound. That is exactly what happened and the United keeper deserves credit for his reflexes and instincts.

Worst moment 

SL - Premier League sanctioning the Saudi-led takeover of Newcastle: You can understand what Newcastle United fans felt when this was first announced and while you can blame them, you really can’t at the same time. But the sheer fact that the Premier League allowed something like this to happen despite the human-rights abuse, despite their war in Yemen that has killed more than 90,000 people and despite Amnesty International pleading them not to, tells you something has to change. Especially when they (Amnesty) release a statement that describes it as “an extremely bitter blow for human rights defenders”, then you know something’s wrong.