Arsenal are celebrating a stellar season with four major Premier League nominations, as three of their star players and manager Mikel Arteta have been shortlisted for the league's top individual honors.
The Gunners have three representatives on the eight-man shortlist for the Premier League Player of the Season award: defensive rock Gabriel, goalkeeper David Raya, and midfield powerhouse Declan Rice. All three have been instrumental in Arsenal's thrilling title charge, which has seen them push the league leaders to the very final day.
Joining them on the shortlist are Manchester City's prolific striker Erling Haaland, Brentford's Igor Thiago, Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes, Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White, and Antoine Semenyo, who split the season between Bournemouth and Manchester City.
This marks a significant moment for Arsenal, who haven't had a Player of the Season winner in 20 years. The club's rich history with the award includes Patrick Vieira (2000/01), Freddie Ljungberg (2001/02), and the legendary Thierry Henry, who won it twice in 2003/04 and 2005/06. Current holder Mohamed Salah of Liverpool didn't make the cut after a relatively quiet final season at Anfield.
Fans have until Monday, May 18 at 12pm to cast their votes, which will be combined with those of a panel of experts to determine the winner.
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta's nomination for Manager of the Season comes as no surprise. He has guided Arsenal to an impressive 24 wins and seven draws from 36 league matches, with the team sitting atop the table for all but one week of the campaign. The last Arsenal manager to win this award was Arsène Wenger back in 2004, following the legendary Invincibles season.
Arteta faces stiff competition from five other nominees, including five-time winner Pep Guardiola, Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola, Brentford's Keith Andrews, and surprisingly, Manchester United interim manager Michael Carrick.
With the season reaching its dramatic conclusion, Arsenal fans have plenty to be excited about—both on the pitch and in the awards room.