BOOKMAKERS APPEAR CERTAIN that Luis Suarez will be crowned PFA Player of the Year, making the Liverpool goal machine a 1/10 shot to collect the top gong at the end of season awards bash.
Voting was expected to be close between Suarez, Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, and Manchester City’s Yaya Toure who have been the three standout performers in the Premier League this season.
But as the ballots start to trickle in, Paddy Power have installed Suarez as the prohibitive favourite ahead of Hazard (13/2) and Toure (14/1).
The Uruguyan has fired Liverpool’s title bid with 28 goals, eight more than strike partner Daniel Sturridge, leaving him on course to break Andy Cole’s record of 34 goals in a single season.
Hazard may at least get the consolation of the Young Player of the Year award. The Belgian is 4/11 favourite ahead of Sturridge (15/8) and Everton’s Ross Barkley (12/1).
Market confidence in Suarez is backed up by two players who have publicly revealed their choices already.
QPR’s Joey Barton posted a picture of his ballot sheet to Twitter, showing his votes for Suarez and team-mate Jordan Henderson in the two main categories, while West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster went for Suarez and Southampton’s Luke Shaw.
The rules prohibit players from voting for their own club-mates but there are no restrictions on revealing their choices ahead of the official awards ceremony in May.
