Brentford captain Ben Mee has taken the shock decision to drop Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford out of his PFA Team of the Year.
After a miserable 2021-22 season that saw him slip down the pecking order at Old Trafford and fall out of favor internationally, Rashford has had a standout season this year, scoring 29 goals in all competitions.
However, that wasn’t enough to put him in Mee’s side, as the centre-back revealed on Sunday morning that he left with a front three of Bukayo Saka, Harry Kane and Erling Haaland.
The trio all played for their respective clubs, with Saka registering 13 goals and 11 assists for Arsenal in the Premier League.
Kane was the standout player for a struggling Spurs side, scoring 28 league goals. His goal against Brentford on Saturday means he has scored in 25 different games this season, breaking the Premier League record.
Brentford captain Ben Mee (above) has revealed who he picked in his PFA Team of the Year
Despite scoring 29 goals in all competitions, Marcus Rashford did not make Mee’s final XI
Man City pair Kevin De Bruyne (left) and Erling Haaland (right) are both obvious inclusions
Speaking of records, Haaland has racked up a lot this season, with his tally of 36 league goals seeing him break the record for most goals scored in a single Premier League season, making him an obvious inclusion. alongside Mee.
He is joined in the XI by three of his title-winning teammates, Mee choosing to name Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan as two of his midfielders in his 4-3-3 formation, while plumping for Nathan Ake on the left. back.
De Bruyne and Gundogan really stepped up City’s run-in, helping Pep Guardiola’s men to 11 straight wins, and Ake was rewarded for an impressive season having been on the fringes of City’s squad in previous years.
Arsenal have led the table for most of the season but have fallen sharply in recent weeks, picking up just nine points from their last eight matches.
Despite their disappointing decline in form, Mee still chose two of Mikel Arteta’s players to join Saka, with Martin Odegaard completing his midfield and Gabriel Magalhaes taking one of the centre-back positions.
Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard are both in Mee’s squad despite Arsenal’s dip in form
Only City have conceded fewer goals than third-placed Newcastle this season, and Mee acknowledged this by including two of the Magpies’ back five. Kieran Trippier gets the nod at right-back, and Nick Pope is in goal despite David de Gea winning the second Golden Glove of his Premier League career on Saturday.
Rashford and De Gea have both been snubbed, and Mee has in fact decided not to include any United players in his XI, even though Erik ten Hag’s side look set to finish in the top four.
Instead, Mee gave his team’s final centre-back spot to Brighton’s Lewis Dunk.
That seems surprising given that Tottenham (66) and Fulham (51) are the only top-half sides to have conceded more goals than Brighton (49) this season.
Still, Dunk has always caught Mee’s eye, and the Seagulls have enjoyed another excellent campaign as they close in on a Europa League spot next season.
Still, the united duo Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez may feel bad after shining at the heart of their team’s defense this year.
Brighton defender Lewis Dunk is a shocking inclusion in Mee’s Team of the Year
Mee’s squad includes four City players and three from the Arsenal squad, but no Man United stars
The two World Cup winners helped United end their six-year trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup in February, and the Red Devils have a chance to add another piece of silverware next month when face City in the FA Cup final.
Arsenal’s William Saliba was also expected to be in on the action after a sensational debut season in England.
His premature back injury proved costly for the Gunners, who struggled to deliver results as he was sidelined.
Mee acknowledged that his team would be controversial with some fans, as alongside his roster he tweeted: “Pelters incoming”.
