Mahrez wins PFA Player of the Year

Riyad Mahrez becomes the first African player to win the PFA Player of the Year award – and the first Leicester player

Leicester City forward Riyad Mahrez has won the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year award.

Mahrez has scored 17 goals and made 11 assists in 34 league games to take Leicester to the cusp of the title.

The award was voted for by the Algeria international’s fellow professionals.

Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli, 20, was named PFA Young Player of the Year, while Manchester City forward Izzy Christiansen won the Women’s Player of the Year award.

Sunderland striker Beth Mead, 20, was named Women’s Young Player of the Year.

Analysis: ‘I voted Vardy but Mahrez deserves it’

Mahrez, 25, held off competition from Tottenham forward Harry Kane, Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil, West Ham United midfielder and fellow Leicester men Jamie Vardy and N’Golo Kante to win the award.

Premier League season in numbers for the PFA Player of the Year nominees:GoalsAssistsMinutes playedRiyad Mahrez17112795Harry Kane2413008Jamie Vardy2262959Dimitri Payet992311Mesut Ozil6182869N’Golo Kante142750

Mahrez was handed the prize at the Grosvenor Hotel in London on Sunday hours after scoring in his side’s 4-0 win over Swansea City as leaders Leicester moved to within five points of the title.

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He dedicated the award to his team-mates.

“All the credit is for them, seriously,” Mahrez, who joined Leicester from French second-tier side Le Havre in January 2014, said.

“And for my manager and the staff. Without them I wouldn’t …

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