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It seems that the prestigious PFA Young Player of the Year award is a foregone conclusion. Most would find it impossible to see past Raheem Sterling after what he has achieved this season at both club and international level.

He is a worthy winner and few would argue with his credentials to scoop the award, but who else is in contention? Based on the premise that Sterling is the strong favourite, Football FanCast writers have been debating alternative candidates.

Some gushing words have been reserved for one of Sterling's teammates, a recently transformed prospect and two of Liverpool's most outstanding young players...

Billy Myers

"Aside from Sterling, Trent Alexander-Arnold has to be in the running for the PFA Young Player of the Year. The Liverpool academy graduate has emerged as one of the best right-backs in the league this season, and is up there with Europe's best in terms of goal involvements - with six assists and a single strike to his name, the 20-year-old is a huge part of Jurgen Klopp's system and is pivotal to the way in which the title hopefuls play."

Harry Elnaugh

"A difficult one. Rice, of course, has been great and was called up to the England squad last week; Bernardo Silva has done the unthinkable in making Kevin de Bruyne dispensible; but Marcus Rashford has been a different beast under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and has to be runner-up for me."

Ben Goodwin

"Where has the love gone for Joe Gomez? The Liverpool youngster has fallen completely out of the conversation due to his injury, but before Christmas he was arguably the most in-form centre back in the league, excluding Virgil van Dijk, who is incomparable. The 21 year-old will return soon, and he deserves to be in the conversation if he guides the best defence in the league to their first title in nearly three decades."

James Beavis

"Bernardo Silva, without a doubt. The Portuguese player has been absolutely brilliant for Manchester City this season and I feel that his impact has sometimes gone under the radar with Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero often hogging the limelight. A wizard with the ball at his feet the 24-year-old has a huge future ahead of him at the Etihad, and it would be no surprise to me if he ultimately ends up matching teammate David Silva in terms of being one of the Premier League's best."