Photo: Sky Sports

Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton has joined the trend of revealing his six-man shortlist for the Player of the Year award and he included two Chelsea players in the list N’Golo Kante and Diego Costa, while Eden Hazard missed out.

Sutton wore the Chelsea jersey between 1999 and 2000. He made just 28 appearances and scored one goal.

He also picked Dele Alli who he tipped to win the young player of the year award, and also nominated Harry Kane, Sadio Mane and Zlatan Ibrahamovic.

He backed Kante to win the award.

“N’Golo Kante looks set to become the first player to win the English league title in successive seasons with two different teams since Eric Cantona did it with Leeds and Manchester United in 1992 and 1993,” he told the BBC.

“It is an achievement which shows how good he is, and he has been a major influence on Chelsea’s success – I do not remember a game where they have been dominated in the middle of the park.”

He said of Costa: “And Diego Costa has to be there as well. I was one of those who were critical of him last season, when it looked like he would be leaving Chelsea, but he has responded incredibly well.”