Brown: Respect from players means a lot

Wes Brown believes Paul Pogba has earned the respect of his peers after being named in the PFA Team of the Year for the 2018/19 season.

The World Cup winner is the only man from outside the top two in the Premier League, Manchester City and Liverpool, to be included in the XI, which is based on votes from players at all 20 clubs.

Brown, who won the Champions League with the Reds in 1999 and 2008, has stressed the voting is taken very seriously and it is worthy recognition of a footballer's efforts when his fellow professionals show their appreciation.

“We know what Paul can do,” Brown told us. “He’s had a great spell and he’s scored some important goals for us this season, and assists actually. Obviously, the players rate him and I hope we see more of that. We need that to hopefully happen against Chelsea.

”Of course it means a lot because, over the course of the season, you’ve performed well and have the respect of the other players. The players do actually vote on these things, you do sit there and do it. It’s something we enjoy doing.

“Even if they play for Manchester City or Liverpool, it doesn’t mean you don’t vote for them. You do what you think is right and that is why I think it’s always a good thing to do.”

Our former defender admitted that it was difficult to argue against City and Liverpool dominating this year's selection, even if the team has generated a great deal of debate on social media.

“I don’t think you can [argue with it] at all,” he said. “By far, they’ve easily been the best two teams slugging it out for the championship.

”So, for Paul to get in that team is a great achievement in itself.“