Raheem Sterling missed out on the PFA Player of the Year award — but other honours are already beginning to flow.
Sterling was awarded The Integrity and Impact Award at Thursday’s prestigious BT Sport Industry Awards in London for his fight against racism and using his social-media platform to take a stand.
The Manchester City and England forward is expected to get PFA Young Player of the Year having been pipped by Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk to the main award and is also red-hot favourite for the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year, with voting closing on Sunday.
Sterling will also be a strong candidate for BBC Sports Personality of the Year in December while his standing on and off the pitch - particularly his voice against racism - may well see further recognition on a grander scale.
Don’t bet against a call from the Palace.
Sadly, title-chasing City's game away to Burnley on Sunday means their five players in the PFA team of the year - Sterling, Ederson, Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva and Sergio Aguero - will not be able to attend the PFA awards ceremony in London that evening.
EURO VISION
Referees' boss Mike Riley has given a number of briefings ahead of bringing in VAR next season — and is making it clear that the two big Champions League handball decisions would not be given in Premier League games.
The decisions, against Tottenham's defender Danny Rose vs Manchester City and for Manchester United's winner away Paris Saint-Germain, were both given after the referee consulted with VAR and watched replays on their screen.
Premier League clubs have already voted to bring in VAR next season, which will be ratified at their June meeting with guidelines on how to communicate decisions to fans in the stadiums.
The only two Premier League clubs without big screens are Liverpool and Manchester United , and neither are likely to be made to install them just yet.
TEE-HEE SHIRT
Andy Walker has gained a reputation as one of the best and most respected press officers in the business, thanks to his work with the FA, England and Gareth Southgate. But there was much amusement at Walker’s expense at the Football Writers’ Association Midlands lunch this week, when he won a charity raffle in aid of Prostate Cancer.
Brummie Walker’s name was drawn out of the hat to win a signed Gareth Southgate England shirt.
In true, generous fashion, he put the shirt back into the hat — once the whole room had stopped laughing.
CHELSEA DAGGER
Chelsea stewards had to move quickly to usher TV and radio touchline reporters out of the way as Monday's tunnel bust-up unfolded right in front of their eyes at Stamford Bridge.
Blues boss Maurizio Sarri was sent from the dug-out before coaching staff from both teams carried on the row going up the tunnel.
The comment from Burnley No2 Ian Woan towards members of Sarri’s backroom staff - including Massimo Nenci and fitness coach Paolo Bertelli - which caused amusement was: “You’ve been here eight months and you still don’t speak English.”
* MICK HARFORD is on the brink of leading Luton to the League One title as caretaker boss — but is still telling people he does not want the job.
Highly-experienced Graeme Jones, who spent years as Roberto Martinez’s assistant with Swansea, Wigan, Everton and Belgium and was also at West Brom, will take charge in the summer.
