Jordan Henderson beats Kevin de Bruyne to win FWA Footballer of the Year award

Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne was seen as the favourite to claim the award earlier this week thanks to his contribution of 19 assists and 11 goals in the Premier League this season, but was beaten by Henderson.

Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford and Liverpool duo Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk also made the top five, but it is Henderson who has been recognised for his inspirational role in Liverpool's first title triumph in 30 years with the prestigious individual award.

Votes were also cast for Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson, Raheem Sterling, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Sergio Aguero, Adama Traore, Danny Ings, Jack Grealish, James Maddison and Jonny Evans.

Henderson succeeds England colleague Sterling who won the FWA Men's Footballer of the Year prize last year.

In a statement, the midfielder said: "As grateful as I am I don’t feel like I can accept this on my own. I don’t feel like anything I’ve achieved this season or in fact during my whole career has been done on my own. I owe a lot to so many different people – but none more so than my current team-mates – who have just been incredible and deserve this every bit as much as I do.

"We’ve only achieved what we’ve achieved because every single member of our squad has been brilliant. And not just in matches. Not just in producing the moments that make the headlines and the back pages but every day in training. The players who’ve started the most games for us this season have been as good as they have been because of our culture and our environment at Melwood. No one individual is responsible for that – it’s a collective effort and that’s how I view accepting this honour.

Liverpool had a clutch of players vying for the award with forward Mane and right-back Alexander-Arnold both enjoying exceptional seasons, along with centre-back Van Dijk.

But though his performances may not have outshone those of some of his team-mates, Henderson was recognised for his leadership role in steering Liverpool to the title, just 12 months after winning the Champions League - and his leading role in the #PlayersTogether campaign. to help support the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic.

FWA chair, Carrie Brown, said: “Leadership is intangible and often unquantifiable unless it is inarguable. Jordan Henderson is both the ultimate professional and now a bona fide Liverpool legend.

“Jordan is a player his team-mates look to on the pitch and who his rivals look up to off it. The voting criteria for the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year is one who leads by precept and example and in this country’s darkest moment, Jordan, unprompted, personally rallied club captains to establish #PlayersTogether.

“Millions of pounds have been raised for the NHS and significantly #PlayersTogether is now an established collective power base for players to engage in campaigns, none more so evident in the ongoing and powerful anti-racism #BlackLivesMatter campaign.