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Manchester City’s winger Raheem Sterling has revealed why he voted for Harry Kane to be named as the PFA Player of the Year over the Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk.
24-year-old Sterling who is one of the favourites to pick up the award has scored17 goals and nine assists in the Premier League this season.
Explaining why he selected England team-mate Kane, he said:
“My vote for him is because he scores so many goals every year, he does so much for the team, gives so much for his team,” Sterling said.
“There was a lot of talk about Virgil van Dijk. I knew he would have a lot of the votes, so I looked at someone I thought being around him in the national team, how he puts in his work, his work ethic, how he looks after himself.
“He’s always there, especially coming back from injury, as a professional I looked at him and that’s my reason for voting for him, seeing him on a day-to-day with the national team.”
ALSO READ: Sterling breaks 50-year jinx for City, wins Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year
Sterling IS pleased to be on the shortlist but he would rather win the league and FA Cup, he added:
“It’s nice to be recognised on that front but, to be honest, if we don’t win the Premier League, I don’t really want to be in contention.”
Sterling and Van Dijk made it to the final six-man shortlist alongside Bernardo Silva, Sergio Aguero, Sadio Mane with Chelsea’s forward Eden Hazard rounding off the shortlist.
Kane was not on the six-man shortlist for the award when it was announced last week.
City and Liverpool are locked in a battle for the Premier League title with the season entering its final stage.
