Suarez Is Mancini's EPL Player Of The Year

[Folami David]

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini says Luis Suarez is his player of the year, despite the Liverpool striker's ban for biting Branislav Ivanovic.
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PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor said it would be "embarrassing" were Suarez, whom the FA has suspended for 10 matches, to win Sunday's PFA award.
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But Mancini defended Suarez, saying: "He made a mistake, he said sorry to everyone. Do you want to kill him?"
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2013 Player of the Year shortlist
Gareth Bale
Robin Van Persie
Luis Suarez
Eden Hazard
Juan Mata
Michael Carrick
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Suarez, 26, has scored 30 goals in 44 games for Liverpool this season.
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The Reds talisman is on a shortlist of six for the prize, along with Gareth Bale, Robin van Persie, Michael Carrick, Eden Hazard and Juan Mata.
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But Mancini is clear about his choice.
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"I don't know Suarez as a man, I know him as a player and this year he was one of the best in the Premier League.
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"He has got his punishment. It's finished." Suarez bit Chelsea defender Ivanovic during last Sunday's Premier League game at Anfield, which finished 2-2.
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He apologised and was fined by Liverpool on Monday.
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Despite the Reds saying they were "shocked and disappointed" by the size of the punishment, Suarez chose to accept it rather than appeal.
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He will miss Liverpool's last four games of the campaign, and the first six of next season. PFA chief executive Taylor earlier said: "It would be embarrassing if he is named Player of the Year.
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"But we have got to deal with it and make sure he is Player of the Year not just in a footballing sense but as a human being as well and we will be trying to do that."
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Suarez is considered one of the three front-runners for the award, along with last year's winner Van Persie and Bale, who won in 2011.
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Previous winners
2012: Robin Van Persie
2011: Gareth Bale
2010: Wayne Rooney
2009: Ryan Giggs
2008: Cristiano Ronaldo
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Bale, 23, has scored 23 goals in 39 appearances for Tottenham this term, helping their push for Champions League qualification.
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Van Persie has scored 28 goals in 44 appearances for Manchester United, including a title-clinching hat-trick on Monday, although that came after the votes had been cast.
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Even if Suarez fails to triumph in the main award, he is expected to be included in the Premier League team of the year.
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Each member of the PFA gets two votes, which were cast before Suarez's bite on Ivanovic.
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Bale and Hazard are also up for the Young Player of the Year award, along with Christian Benteke, Romelu Lukaku, Danny Welbeck and Jack Wilshere.
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If Bale wins both awards, he will follow Andy Gray and Cristiano Ronaldo in doing the double.
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To mark the award's 40th anniversary, there is now a women's category, with Scotland's Kim Little and her Arsenal team-mate Jordan Nobbs among those nominated.