Van Persie favourite to land PFA award

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie will be the clear favourite to be named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year after he was named among the nominees for the award yesterday.

The prolific Dutchman, who has scored 34 goals this season, heads a six-man shortlist revealed by the Professional Footballers’ Association for their top award.

The Manchester City trio David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Joe Hart, Tottenham midfielder Scott Parker and Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney make up the rest of the list.

Manchester City striker Aguero and Tottenham winger Gareth Bale have been named among the nominees for the Young Player of the Year award.

Aguero has made a huge impact at the Etihad Stadium since his club record £38million signing from Atletico Madrid, while last year’s senior winner Bale could win the award after another fine campaign.

Bale’s Spurs team-mate Kyle Walker, Arsenal prodigy Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck and Chelsea forward Daniel Sturridge made up a six-man shortlist.

The winners will be announced at the union’s prestigious annual awards night on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Eric Cantona dominates the shortlists for the Premier League 20 Seasons Awards which were announced yesterday.

The former French striker is nominated in five of the 11 categories in the awards which mark 20 years since the launch of the Premier League, including best player — a category in which there are some notable absentees.

Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney has failed to make the 10-player shortlist, as has David Beckham, Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard, and Chelsea duo Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.

Cantona is also nominated for best goal, most memorable quote, best goal celebration and best striker.

The player and manager of the 20 seasons awards will be announced on May 15.

The shortlists were drawn up after votes from national newspapers, and the winners will be decided either by a panel or via a public vote on www.premierleague.com.

Alan Shearer has four nominations, while Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry have three each.

Matt Le Tissier is the only player with two nominations in the best goal category.

Meanwhile, this year’s FA Cup Final between Chelsea and Liverpool will kick-off at 5.15pm, the Football Association have confirmed.

The showpiece final on Saturday, May 5 will be the first to be played under floodlights in 19 years, with the last being the 1993 replay between Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday.

It is the first time the final has been moved away from its traditional 3pm kick-off since the new Wembley opened its doors in 2007.

PFA Player of the Year award shortlist: Sergio Aguero (Man City), Joe Hart (Man City), Scott Parker (Tottenham), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Wayne Rooney (Man Utd), David Silva (Man City).

PFA Young Player of the Year award shortlist: Sergio Aguero (Man City), Gareth Bale (Tottenham), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea), Kyle Walker (Tottenham), Danny Welbeck (Man Utd).

Best manager shortlist: Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho, Harry Redknapp, David Moyes.

Best player shortlist: Dennis Bergkamp, Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs, Thierry Henry, Roy Keane, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes, Alan Shearer, Patrick Vieira, Gianfranco Zola.