City trio, Salah, Kane and De Gea nominated for Player of the Year

Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne, Leroy Sane and David Silva lead a six-strong cast that also includes the prolific Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane for the 2017-18 Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year award. Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea is the other nominee. Despite blowing the chance to seal the Premier League title in a thrilling 3-2 derby defeat to United last weekend, City still boast a 16-point lead at the top of the table after beating Tottenham Hotspur Saturday. De Bruyne is expected to be City's leading candidate having contributed a league-high 15 assists and seven goals from midfield as Pep Guardiola's have marched towards the title.

Here they are... The six nominees for PFA Men's Players' Player of the Year! ? Kevin De Bruyne ? David de Gea ⚪ Harry Kane ? Mohamed Salah ? Leroy Sane ? David Silva ? https://t.co/WNw2DifBvZ Who's YOUR winner?#bbcfootball pic.twitter.com/jsPmBJ29hj

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) April 14, 2018

However, the Belgian may be beaten to the award by Salah's free-scoring form. The Egyptian has scored 40 times in all competition, including in each leg as Liverpool dumped City out of the Champions League quarter-final 5-1 on aggregate. Salah leads the way in the race for the Premier League golden boot with 30 goals to Kane's 25. Sane and Kane are also on the shortlist for the Young Player of the Year award alongside City goalkeeper Ederson and forward Raheem Sterling, United striker Marcus Rashford and left-back Ryan Sessegnon, who has starred in Fulham's push for promotion from the Championship.