Gary Neville picks Son Heung-min as best player of the season

British football pundit Gary Neville picked Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min as his best player of the season on Monday, arguing that Son doesn't get the credit he deserves despite being just one goal behind Mo Salah on the top scorer table.

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min celebrates after a match against Burnley on Sunday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

British football pundit Gary Neville picked Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min as his best player of the season on Monday, arguing that Son doesn't get the credit he deserves despite being just one goal behind Liverpool's Mohammad Salah on the top scorer table.

"One goal off Mo Salah playing for a team that is completely different in style, that's not as good," Neville, a former Manchester United and England defender, said, referring to Tottenham's ability as a team. "Everybody loves him. I think he could play for any team in the world. Any club in Europe would take him.

"Son does not get the recognition he deserves. For what he has done consistently, 21 goals, one off Salah in a team that is nowhere near as good, where he doesn't get the service, I think he just deserves a mention really."

Neville backed Son while discussing his top team of the season on Sky Sports show "Monday Night Football" alongside former Liverpool and England star Jamie Carragher. Both pundits picked a top player — Carragher chose Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne — as well as picking a team of the season.

Son, along with playmaking partner Harry Kane, made it into both Neville and Carragher's teams, as did Salah, Alisson and Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool and De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva of Manchester City.

They disagreed on the other picks, with Carragher adding Trent John Alexander-Arnold and Joël Matip of Liverpool, João Cancelo of City and Declan Rice of West Ham. Neville opted for Kyle Walker, Rúben Dias and Rodri of Manchester City and Andrew Robertson of Liverpool.

With one game left to play this season, Son currently sits in second place in the Premier League goal scorer ranking with 21 goals, one behind Salah's 22.

As well as setting a new personal best for number of goals scored in a single season, Son is set to become Tottenham's top scorer for the first time in his career. Harry Kane, who has held that title for the last seven seasons, follows in second place with 16 goals.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]