Gary Neville made a mockery of Jamie Carragher 's uncertainty over the best player in the Premier League this season by saying he didn't have to think "at all" before giving Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard the nod.
The Gunners' skipper has a chance to lead his team to Premier League glory for the first time in 20 years if Mikel Arteta's men beat Everton and rivals Manchester City drop points. Even without a title, though, Neville has been blown away by the Norwegian's form this term.
Neville, speaking on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football broadcast alongside Carragher, made his picks for a number of honours. In addition to the best player of the season, the pair named their best young player, best signing and their winners in a number of other categories.
While Neville was certain Odegaard deserved recognition, Carragher was torn between two other stars. Manchester City's Phil Foden eventually got the nod, but Chelsea new man Cole Palmer ran his former team-mate close.
"There were two players I was thinking about - mine were [Phil] Foden and Cole Palmer, Carragher said. "The reason I never went for Cole Palmer, maybe it's wrong to say this, but the fact that he was with Chelsea and they hadn't had a great season and hadn't played in the Champions League and maybe against the elite competition.
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"But I could have tossed a coin on it, really. I think Cole Palmer has been sensational this season. But I think this season for Foden, they know he's brilliant, I think it's been a breakout season in some ways.
"It almost feels like he's one of the main players in the team. Because if you remember, the Champions League final (in 2023) he was on the bench... he was involved, but he wouldn't have felt like he does this season, when he just feels central to everything Man City are doing this season".
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Jamie Carragher was torn between Foden and Palmer (The FA via Getty Images)While Carragher admitted he spent time umming and aahing over his choice, it was the opposite for Neville. "I didn't have to think about it at all," the former Manchester United captain said of his decision to give Odegaard the nod..
"Every game I've watched of Arsenal. he's a beautiful player and... I think he knits everything together. Obviously I love [Declan] Rice, I love Foden, I love all the players we've been talking about, but for me that is an absolute unbelievable football player and I think the best player I've seen in the league this season on a regular basis.
"The person that takes the ball on the half-turn, tries to play... the right type of passes. If he had a striker that made those little darting runs, like an Aguero or that type, honestly the amount of chances he creates is unbelievable."
Martin Odegaard got the nod from Gary Neville (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)There were disagreements elsewhere, too, as well as a couple of areas of agreement. Arsenal's record signing Declan Rice was chosen by both as their signing of the season, despite Carragher's praise for another new face in Palmer.
When it came to the category of biggest underachievers, there may have been times this season at which Chelsea fels most deserving of the unwanted honour. Instead, though, the Blues' late-season run left both pundits deciding Manchester United were more deserving.
"United finished third last season [and]... I thought they've strengthened through the middle of the pitch and I didn't see them dropping out of the top four," Carragher said. Both he and Neville expected another top four finish from Erik ten Hag's side, but instead they find themselves potentially needing to win their final two games to finish any higher than eighth.
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