Ronaldo leads United dominance of PFA nominations

LONDON, (Reuters) – Cristiano Ronaldo is on course  for a hat-trick of PFA Player of the Year awards after being  included in the nominations released yesterday.

The Portuguese, who was voted World Footballer of the Year  in January, is one of five Manchester United nominees, a  reflection on a season that could end with Alex Ferguson’s side  collecting five trophies.

Central defensive partnership Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja  Vidic are in contention for the award voted for by their fellow  professionals while Ryan Giggs and goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar  are also nominated.

The 35-year-old Giggs, who has never won the award, has been  in sparkling form for United as they aim to add the Premier  League, Champions League and FA Cup to the FIFA Club World Cup  and English League Cup trophies they have already won.

Dutchman Van der Sar managed a record 14 consecutive league  clean sheets earlier this season.

Title-chasing Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who won the  vote in 2006, completes the list of six.

The nominations for the Young Player of the Year feature a  trio of young England internationals in Aston Villa’s Gabriel  Agbonlahor and Ashley Young and Tottenham Hotspur winner Aaron  Lennon. Manchester United’s Jonny Evans and Rafael and  Manchester City’s Stephen Ireland complete the list.