Everton duo Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley have both seen their fine individual form this season rewarded after being nominated for the 2015/16 PFA Young Player of the Year award.
Lukaku and Barkley were named in a shortlist of six alongside Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Jack Butland and Philipe Countinho and the winner will be announced at the prestigious PFA Awards dinner on Sunday 24th April.
Two shining lights in a miserable season for the Blues
It has been a frustrating season for Everton, with the Blues languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table, but Lukaku and Barkley have been standout performers for the Blues this campaign.
Lukaku has enjoyed an outstanding season, scoring 25 goals in all competitions, including in eight successive league matches. He is the first Everton player to score 20 league goals since Gary Lineker's 30 goals in 1985/86 and he could yet surpass Lineker's total, with the form he has shown this season.
Barkley has started in each of Everton's 31 league games this season and has enjoyed his best season to date. The 22-year-old has scored a career high 12 goals, assisted a further 10 goals and created 48 chances. He has also scored two goals in eight appearances for England this year.
The Everton pair are hoping to become the first player from the club to win the PFA Young Player award since its inception in 1974, but the Blues league form could end up counting against Barkley and Lukaku in spite of their standout campaigns.
The competition
Competition for this year's prize is set to be keenly contested by the six-man shortlist, with Tottenham Hotspur duo Dele Alli and Harry Kane leading the competition Lukaku and Barkley face. Kane, who won the award last year, leads the Premier League goalscoring charts with 22 goals already this season and he is also in the running for the main award.
Its his Spurs teammate Dele Alli who could prove to be Lukaku and Barkley's main challenger and the favourite to take this season's award. Alli has impressed during his debut season in the Premier League after a £5million move from MK Dons, scoring eight goals and assisting a further 12 in 31 appearances.
Jack Butland is also included following his breakthrough season with Stoke City. Butland took the number one jersey at the Britannia Stadium last summer following Asmir Begovic's departure and he has impressed for Mark Hughes' side this season. Liverpool's Philippe Countinho completes the list, having scored seven goals and registered five assists for the Reds in 21 games, during an injury disrupted campaign.