Bernardo Silva believes that Manchester City players have been overlooked for individual honours.
City have won the title four times in the Premier League era, with the two highest totals ever, but have never had a Player of the Year. Liverpool, meanwhile, have had four winners and Tottenham three despite never lifting the title.
The Portugal international, who was shortlisted for the Ballon d'Or last season after winning a domestic treble with City and the Nations League with his country, believes that team-mates such as Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero have been unlucky to not win individual prizes.
“Three seasons ago, we won the league, [Liverpool] were 30 points behind and Kevin De Bruyne had an unbelievable season. Mo Salah scores a lot of goals - he's a great player, I admire him a lot, I'm not saying otherwise - but they gave the award to Salah and not De Bruyne,” Silva said in a Q&A on Instagram.
“The season after, it's very tight. Raheem Sterling was on the run with Van Dijk. [It was] very tight but they gave it to Van Dijk.
“This [campaign], again, De Bruyne is having another unbelievable season. We're behind... But because Liverpool are champions, probably one of them will win the award again.
“David Silva, Kun Aguero never won the PFA Player of the Year. I think the individual awards are very relative and it's important, but it's not that important. People should stop thinking about that too much in my opinion.
“I don't want this to be polemic. I talked about Liverpool players, but I admire their team, I admire their players – it's nothing to do with them, it's just a small example.”
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Silva believes Liverpool deserve the title even if this season is voided and that it is unfair that their rivals will not be able to celebrate their first Premier League success properly.
Jurgen Klopp's side are 25 points clear at the top of the table and needed six points to be certain of clinching the league when football was stopped by the coronavirus outbreak.
While their are plans to restart the season, football could resume behind closed doors with the fans' celebrations potentially denied by social distancing.
“I think it's a very sad situation,” he said. “And probably now even if they win it, they won't get to enjoy it as much as they should and as they deserve to because they won't be able to celebrate with their fans.
“They won't be able to play with a crowd - it will be tough to play in the next... I think two or three months, with a crowd. But yes, definitely they deserve this title.”
Silva also says the club have the perfect replacement for his namesake David with the Spanish international leaving at the end of his contract after 10 years.
Academy product Phil Foden has been seen as a potential successor and his team-mate has no doubts that he has the quality to be one of the best players on the planet.
“If he stays for a long time he is definitely going to be one of the best midfielders in the world,” Silva said.
“I think it's a good opportunity for him when David goes, to play more and have a firm position in the team. I think it's tough because because when you talk about a club like Man City, of course it is unbelievable.
“He is a fantastic player and, as I said he has a huge future ahead of him, but it's never easy when in your position you've got players like David, like Kevin, like [Ilkay] Gundogan. So he needs to stay calm and work a lot. His opportunities will come and whenever he plays, he's great.”