OPINION
Wolverhampton Wanderers, despite their excellent season, are unlikely to have many – if any – players included in the Premier League Team of the Year come the end of the campaign.
One Wolves star who absolutely must be a contender to make the line up, though, is right wing back Matt Doherty. The Team of the Year will probably have a flat back four, but Doherty undoubtedly deserves the right back slot after his wonderful season to date.
He strengthened his case even further with a phenomenal performance in his team’s FA Cup victory over Bristol City on Sunday, setting up attacker Ivan Cavaleiro for the game’s only goal.
In all competitions this season the Republic of Ireland international has scored six times and registered seven assists. Those numbers are simply ridiculous for a defender, and are way beyond what anyone else has achieved at his position.
The Team of the Year is for Premier League performances only, but there’s no way that players’ form in other domestic competitions can be discounted. If Wolves go on to win the FA Cup, for example, that will undoubtedly strengthen Doherty’s claim of a spot in the best 11 top flight players.
Really, though, even if you discount his cup form, are there are any right backs who have been better than him in the Premier League this campaign? The two that spring to mind are Manchester City’s Kyle Walker and Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, but neither have been as decisive for their teams as Doherty has been for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
He must now be considered one of the best full backs in the Premier League, and there’s no doubt that he is worthy of being considered for a spot in the Premier League Team of the Year.