Six Chelsea players have been named in the Professional Footballers’ Association Premier League team of the year.
Jose Mourinho’s men are on the brink of a first title since 2010 and their dominance over the past nine months was highlighted by a cluster of blue shirts in the XI announced by the PFA on Sunday.
The entire back four started the season as Blues players, with centre back pairing John Terry and Gary Cahill joined by Branislav Ivanovic and Ryan Bertrand, the latter of whom signed permanently for Southampton in February having joined on loan last summer.
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Eden Hazard, favourite for the main individual award after a superb season in which he has notched 18 goals for the Stamford Bridge outfit, was in midfield along with club colleague Nemanja Matic, Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho and Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez.
Tottenham forward Harry Kane – tipped to be crowned young player of the year at London's Grosvenor Hotel later on Sunday – was the only English attacking player, chosen up front alongside Chelsea's 19-goal striker Diego Costa.
Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea was named ahead of Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois.
Irish representatives
Meanwhile three Irish players made the Championship team of the year, with Chesterfield’s Eoin Doyle the sole Irish representative on the League One XI.
Of the three who made the Championship selection all were involved in the Irish squad which lost to Poland in the last European qualifier; Kieran Westwood is between the sticks with Richard Keogh in the centre of defence and Daryl Murphy up front.
Former Sunderland and current Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Westwood has been in fine form this year although he does find himself behind both Shay Given and David Forde in the international pecking order, not starting a game since November 2013 in the win over Latvia.
Derby County’s Keogh has again been at the core of another successful season at the club who currently sit in the final play-off position having narrowly missed out on promotion in 2014.
Daryl Murphy’s 25 goals for Ipswich Town made him one of the automatic selections as he sits at the top of the goalscoring charts. He started for Ireland in the November friendly against USA but has had to be content with an unused substitute role at international level more often than not.
PFA team of the year: David De Gea (Man Utd); Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea), John Terry (Chelsea), Gary Cahill (Chelsea); Eden Hazard (Chelsea), Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool), Nemanja Matic (Chelsea), Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal); Harry Kane (Tottenham), Diego Costa (Chelsea).
Championship team of the year: Keiren Westwood (Sheff Wed); George Friend (Middlesbrough), Russell Martin (Norwich), Richard Keogh (Derby), Simon Francis (Bournemouth); Alex Pritchard (Brentford), Bakary Sako (Wolves), Grant Leadbitter (Middlesbrough), Matt Ritchie (Bournemouth); Troy Deeney (Watford), Daryl Murphy (Ipswich).
League One team of the year: Frank Fielding (Bristol City); Joe Bryan (Bristol City), Aden Flint (Bristol City), Tom Clarke (Preston), Nathan Byrne (Swindon); Korey Smith (Bristol City), Massimo Luongo (Swindon), Luke Freeman (Bristol City), Dele Alli (MK Dons); Eoin Doyle (Chesterfield), Joe Garner (Preston).
League Two team of the year: Daniel Bentley (Southend); Ben Coker (Southend), Conor Goldson (Shrewsbury), Steve McNulty (Luton), Phil Edwards (Burton); Danny Mayor (Bury), Jed Wallace (Portsmouth), Matt Grimes (Exeter), Ryan Woods (Shrewsbury); Reuben Reid (Plymouth), Matt Tubbs (Portsmouth).
Women's Super League team of the year: Carly Telford (Notts County); Rachel Corsie (Notts County), Casey Stoney (Arsenal), Emma Mitchell (Arsenal), Lucy Bronze (Liverpool); Jill Scott (Manchester City), Karen Carney (Birmingham), Ji So-Yun (Chelsea), Josanne Potter (Birmingham); Eniola Aluko (Chelsea), Nikita Parris (Everton).
