RVP, Bale lead award shortlist

PFA chairman Gordon Taylor
gives a rundown of the player
of the year candidates
Gareth Bale and Robin van Persie are in
the running for a second PFA Player of the
Year award after a six-man shortlist was
revealed.
The 2013 winner will be announced at a
dinner in London later this month with Van
Persie's Manchester United team-mate
Michael Carrick, Liverpool's Luis Suarez and
Chelsea duo Eden Hazard and Juan Mata
the other nominees.
Bale - the 4/11 favourite with Sky Bet -
was crowned in 2011 but has hit career-
best form this term, with his thrilling
bursts of speed and 17 Premier League
goals inspiring Tottenham's Champions
League charge.
Van Persie was honoured last year after his
most fruitful campaign for Arsenal but a
£22.5m move to Manchester United has
proved no burden.
The Dutchman's 21 league goals for the
champions-elect have been decisive in the
title race, while behind him, Carrick has
been a constant stabiliser in a rotating
United midfield.
Hazard has netted 12 times for Chelsea in
his first season since joining from Lille for
£32m, while Mata's influence has grown in
his second term at Stamford Bridge, the
Spaniard contributing a league-best 10
assists as well as 18 goals.
Suarez may long have courted controversy
but Liverpool's No.7 has made the back
pages for more of the right reasons in
Brendan Rodgers' debut campaign at
Anfield with a league-leading 22 goals and
29 in all competitions.
Bale and Hazard are also nominated for the
Young Player of the Year award with
Christian Benteke, Romelu Lukaku, Danny
Welbeck and Jack Wilshere completing the
list.
Aston Villa striker Benteke has been a
bright spark for Paul Lambert's strugglers,
bagging 15 Premier League goals so far this
season, while his Belgium team-mate
Lukaku is also in contention having netted
13 times in 15 Premier League starts on
loan from Chelsea at West Brom.
Versatile Manchester United forward
Welbeck, in line for a first Premier League
winners' medal, also makes the shortlist,
and Arsenal midfielder Wilshere, winner of
the 2011 Young Player Award, is rewarded
for an impressive return from a series of
injuries.
The PFA has introduced a new award for
stars of the women's game, with Arsenal
and England striker Gemma Davidson,
Everton forward Toni Duggan, Seattle and
Wales midfielder Jessica Fishlock, Kim Little
and Jordan Nobbs - also from Arsenal - and
on-loan Birmingham forward Jodie Taylor
the six nominees.
Sky Sports will bring you news of all the
winners on Sunday, 28 April - and you can
see how the evening unfolded on Monday,
29 April at 10.30pm on Sky Sports 1 HD.