Liverpool's Mohamed Salah was voted player of the year by his fellow professionals in English football in recognition of an incredible scoring return to the Premier League with Liverpool.
The Egypt forward collected the Professional Footballers' Association award at a ceremony in London on Sunday, two days before Liverpool's Champions League semifinal first leg against Roma.
It is a reunion with the Italian club he left in the offseason for 42 million euros (then $47 million). The hefty fee appeared to be a gamble for Liverpool but now represents a real bargain.
His goal at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday was his 31st in the league this season, tying the scoring record in a 38-game campaign held by Cristiano Ronaldo, Alan Shearer and Luis Suarez.
Suarez was the last Liverpool player to be crowned player of the year by the PFA in 2014 before moving to Barcelona.
It's a sign of his remarkable impact that Salah secured the award with third-place Liverpool and that none of Manchester City's newly crowned champions won the accolade. But City winger Leroy Sane was voted PFA young player of the year.
The PFA women's player award went to Chelsea forward Fran Kirby, while Lauren Hemp of Bristol City secured the young player prize.
(With AP inputs)