Source: Team_Talk
Rooney in running for PFA gongs
Wayne Rooney has been installed as the overwhelming favourite to land the PFA player of the year award following the release of the short-list.[LNB] Rooney could even join a very select band to lift the main PFA gong and its young player prize in the same season.[LNB]Only Andy Gray (1997) and Cristiano Ronaldo (2007) have managed it before, with Rooney in line to become the first player to win the award, for players aged 23 and under at the start of the season, three times, having already done so in 2005 and 2006.[LNB]The Manchester United star has enjoyed an outstanding season, even if it appears his success at club level will be limited to the Carling Cup. Rooney has scored 34 goals for United this term and has catapulted himself among the true world-class talents.[LNB]Like Rooney, Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas has been selected for both the main award, and the young player of the year prize.[LNB]Although he has been sidelined for the rest of the season by injury, Fabregas held together a Gunners' title challenge that twice seemed to have collapsed before Tottenham almost certainly snuffed it out on Wednesday night.[LNB]As champions-elect, Chelsea were bound to have a representative, and while he might not have hit the heights as consistently as in other years, Didier Drogba's goals ensured the Stamford Bridge outfit came through their rocky patch and are now in line to become only the seventh team to land the domestic double.[LNB]Manchester City's emergence as a Premier League force is also confirmed by the presence of Carlos Tevez, who has been such a pivotal figure for the Blues since his controversial summer move from neighbours United.[LNB]Along with Rooney and Fabregas, Birmingham's on-loan Man City goalkeeper Joe Hart and Aston Villa midfielder are also up for the young player award.
