LONDON (AP) — Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne was voted English football’s player of the year on Tuesday, denying Liverpool a third straight winner of the prestigious award.
De Bruyne became the first City player to capture the Professional Footballers’ Association award after scoring 13 goals and making a record-tying 20 assists last season.
The Belgian credited manager Pep Guardiola for giving him the freedom to be creative.
“Most of the time he just lets me be me,” De Bruyne said of Guardiola. “We speak often about the team but in a lot of senses he knows when he gives the orders of what the team has to do that I will listen.