Manchester City fans can’t believe what they’re seeing after Premier League make announcement Darren Looney

For the first time since the 2016/17 season, Manchester City find themselves with no players nominated for the Premier League’s prestigious Player of the Season award. This absence marks a significant turning point for a club that has dominated English football’s individual and collective honors for nearly a decade under Pep Guardiola’s stewardship.

The Premier League announced their shortlist for the 2024/25 season’s top individual honor yesterday, sending shockwaves through the Manchester City fanbase who have grown accustomed to seeing their stars prominently featured among the game’s elite. The list, dominated by Liverpool players, reflects what many observers and indeed City supporters themselves have reluctantly acknowledged: this has been an underwhelming campaign by the lofty standards set at the Etihad.

The Premier League’s shortlist features a strong Liverpool contingent with Ryan Gravenberch, Mohamed Salah, and Virgil van Dijk all making the cut, confirming the Merseyside club’s resurgence under new manager Arne Slot. The trio are widely considered favorites to claim the award, showcasing Liverpool’s return to the pinnacle of English football after a brief transitional period following Jürgen Klopp’s departure.

Challenging Liverpool’s dominance in the nominations are Nottingham Forest’s dynamic duo Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Wood, whose extraordinary contributions have propelled the once-struggling club to unprecedented heights this season. Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak also features after a remarkable goalscoring campaign, alongside Brentford’s creative spark Bryan Mbeumo and Arsenal’s midfield general Declan Rice, whose consistent performances have kept the Gunners in contention for major honors.

“It’s time to vote for your @EASPORTSFC Player of the Season,” announced the Premier League’s official X account on Thursday afternoon, with the notable absence of any Manchester City players prompting immediate reaction from supporters and pundits alike.

The omission speaks volumes about City’s performance this season, which striker Erling Haaland himself has described as “not good enough.” After years of unprecedented success, including a historic treble and becoming the first English team to claim all four domestic trophies in a single season, Manchester City’s standards are such that merely competing rather than dominating is viewed as failure.

Last season proved a banner year for individual recognition of City’s stars, with Phil Foden claiming the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award while midfield metronome Rodri was crowned the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner. The contrast with this campaign could hardly be starker, with not a single City player deemed worthy of inclusion among the Premier League’s top eight performers.

While most City supporters appear to accept the collective shortcomings that have led to this nomination drought, there has been significant support for Croatian defender Joško Gvardiol, who many fans believe deserved recognition. The versatile defender has been widely acclaimed as City’s standout performer during this challenging campaign, with his adaptation to Guardiola’s system and consistent excellence offering a rare positive in an otherwise disappointing season.

“I think Gvardiol should be there but fairs,” wrote one City supporter on social media, encapsulating the sentiment of many who feel the Croatian’s contributions have gone underappreciated beyond the Etihad faithful.

Another fan noted: “Joško probably deserved a nom in any other season, but fair,” acknowledging both Gvardiol’s excellence and the reality that City’s collective underperformance has inevitably affected individual recognition.

To fully appreciate the significance of this nomination drought, one must consider the extraordinary standards Guardiola’s City have established. Since the Catalan’s arrival in 2016, Manchester City have redefined excellence in English football, accumulating trophies at an unprecedented rate while playing a brand of football that has drawn comparisons with the greatest teams in the sport’s history.

Under Guardiola’s guidance, City have claimed multiple Premier League titles, FA Cups, and League Cups, while also securing the club’s first Champions League trophy. Beyond the silverware, individual City players have regularly been recognized for their brilliance, with Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva, and more recently Haaland, Foden, and Rodri featuring prominently in individual award nominations and teams of the season.

The 2022/23 season represented the pinnacle of City’s achievements, with the coveted treble of Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League secured in a campaign that cemented their status as one of the greatest teams in English football history. The following season saw them become the first English club to win four domestic trophies in a single season, further emphasizing their dominance.

Against this backdrop of sustained excellence, the current campaign’s relative struggles—and the resultant absence from individual award nominations—appear all the more striking

The nomination list not only highlights City’s difficulties but also reflects the changing competitive landscape of the Premier League. Liverpool’s resurgence under Arne Slot has been remarkable, with the Dutch manager successfully building on Klopp’s foundations while implementing his own tactical philosophy.

Nottingham Forest’s representation with two nominees signals their emergence as genuine contenders, transforming from relegation candidates to European challengers in a remarkable story of footballing renaissance. Newcastle’s continued presence among the elite, represented by Isak’s nomination, demonstrates the impact of their strategic investment since the Saudi-backed takeover.

Arsenal’s inclusion of Declan Rice among the nominees underscores their continued progress under Mikel Arteta, while Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo highlights the increasing competitiveness of the Premier League beyond the traditional powerhouses.

For Manchester City, this new landscape presents both challenges and opportunities. While their dynasty may be experiencing its first genuine period of turbulence under Guardiola, the increased competition could potentially stimulate the renewal and innovation that has characterized the Catalan’s managerial career.

City supporters have largely responded to the Premier League’s announcement with a pragmatic acceptance that reflects their understanding of the team’s performance this season. Social media platforms have been awash with fans acknowledging that while disappointing, the absence of City players from the nominations accurately reflects their campaign.

“After this season, not surprising,” wrote one supporter, capturing the prevailing sentiment among the City faithful. Another added: “That’s true as well. No one performed to be there in the nominations,” displaying a level of objectivity that speaks to the heightened expectations established during the Guardiola era.

The measured response from supporters suggests a fanbase that has matured alongside the club’s rise to elite status. While disappointment is evident, there’s a noticeable absence of the outrage or conspiracy theories that might have accompanied such an announcement in years past—a testament to the self-awareness and football intelligence of a supporter base that has witnessed the highest echelons of the sport.

As the 2024/25 season approaches its conclusion, attention at Manchester City will inevitably turn to the summer and the opportunities for renewal it presents. Guardiola’s contract situation will dominate headlines, with speculation about whether the Catalan maestro will extend his stay at the Etihad or seek new challenges elsewhere.

The playing squad too appears ripe for refreshment, with several long-serving stalwarts potentially moving on and fresh talent required to reinvigorate a team that has shown signs of fatigue after years of competing on multiple fronts. Names like Florian Wirtz have already been linked with moves to Manchester, though recent reports suggest City might pivot to pursuing established Premier League talent.

For Gvardiol and other individual bright spots in this challenging campaign, the lack of individual recognition may serve as motivation for the seasons ahead. The Croatian defender’s development has been one of the few unequivocal positives, suggesting that even in relative adversity, City’s recruitment and player development systems continue to function effectively.

Before thoughts turn fully to next season, City have the opportunity to salvage silverware from their campaign in the upcoming FA Cup final against Crystal Palace. Victory at Wembley would not only add another trophy to Guardiola’s impressive collection but would also provide a positive conclusion to a season that has fallen short of expectations.

The encounter has been described as “difficult” by pundit Jamie Carragher, reflecting Palace’s emergence as genuine contenders under their current management. For City, however, the final represents more than just another potential trophy—it offers a chance to remind the football world of their quality and resilience, traits that have defined the Guardiola era.

While the absence of City players from the Player of the Season nominations has generated headlines, it’s worth considering the broader context. Individual awards, while prestigious, ultimately remain secondary to collective achievement in a team sport like football.

City’s “disappointing” season would still be considered extraordinary by the standards of most clubs, with European football secured and a cup final to contest. The transitory nature of form—both individual and collective—suggests that writing off Guardiola’s side based on one underwhelming campaign would be premature at best and foolish at worst.

The history of football is replete with examples of great teams using relative setbacks as catalysts for renewal and future success. Barcelona’s response to Champions League disappointment under Guardiola, Liverpool’s resurgence after near-misses, and indeed City’s own response to previous challenges all suggest that this nomination drought may ultimately be remembered as a minor footnote in an era of unprecedented success.

Perhaps the most telling aspect of the current situation is what it reveals about the standards now established at Manchester City. That a season which might include an FA Cup triumph and European qualification is considered underwhelming speaks volumes about the expectations Guardiola and his players have created.

For the City hierarchy, led by Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and Director of Football Txiki Begiristain, this season will likely prompt careful evaluation rather than panic. The club’s strategic approach to development, both on and off the pitch, has been characterized by thoughtful evolution rather than revolution, a philosophy that has served them well throughout the Guardiola era.

The absence from individual award nominations, while disappointing, offers valuable feedback about the current squad’s performance relative to their competitors. In an environment where marginal gains often determine success, such information can prove invaluable in planning for future campaigns

As the Premier League’s Player of the Season voting gets underway without Manchester City representation, the question inevitably arises: does this nomination drought represent a temporary blip or the beginning of a more significant changing of the guard in English football?

The answer, as with most matters in football, likely lies somewhere in between these extremes. City’s resources, infrastructure, and expertise make a prolonged decline highly improbable, yet the increasing competitiveness of the Premier League suggests that the period of near-total dominance witnessed in recent seasons may prove difficult to replicate.

What seems certain is that Manchester City, under Guardiola or potentially a successor, will respond to this season’s relative disappointments with characteristic determination. The absence of individual nominations, while noteworthy, will likely serve as motivation rather than cause for despair.

For neutral observers and rivals alike, the development adds another fascinating dimension to what promises to be a compelling 2025/26 campaign. Will City bounce back with renewed vigor, or will Liverpool, Arsenal, and others establish themselves as the Premier League’s new dominant forces?

As one chapter in the Premier League’s storied history appears to be closing, another—no less intriguing—begins to unfold. For Manchester City and their supporters, the journey continues, with the certain knowledge that in football, as in life, nothing—neither success nor disappointment—lasts forever.