Leading figures from across English football gathered in Manchester on Tuesday night for the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Awards.
This year’s annual ceremony is being staged at the city’s Opera House Theatre.
The red carpet featured a strong Premier League presence, with several top-flight clubs represented at the event.
Arsenal, who battled Manchester City for the Premier League title last season and defeated them in the Community Shield two Sundays ago, were among the clubs in attendance.
Their group is set to mingle with Manchester City trio Antoine Semenyo, Rayan Cherki and Nico O’Reilly, who also made the trip to Manchester for the awards night.
Arsenal stars David Raya, Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber, Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba (left to right) arrived on the red carpet ahead of the PFA Awards in Manchester on Tuesday night
Manchester City were represented at the ceremony by Antoine Semenyo (centre) and Rayan Cherki
Semenyo enjoyed a prolific campaign with Bournemouth and City last term, while O’Reilly’s breakout season ended with him included in England head coach Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad, which reached the semi-finals. Tuchel is also among those attending the event.
Aged just 21, the City academy graduate is the favourite to win PFA Young Player of the Year.
City’s bitter rivals Manchester United are represented by head coach Michael Carrick, CEO Omar Berrada and Bruno Fernandes.
The pair have had a busy day following the £70million transfer completion of Carlos Baleba from Brighton and Hove Albion.
Baleba will add some much-needed dynamism to United’s midfield and will play behind captain Fernandes – who is another leading contender for the PFA Player of the Year award after a fantastic 2025-26 where he broke the Premier League assists record for a single season with 21.
In May, he won the Football Writers’ Association’s men’s Footballer of the Year award and was named Premier League player of the season, meaning it could be a clean sweep of accolades if he’s victorious come 9pm.
Liverpool icon Kenny Dalglish also donned the red carpet alongside his wife Marina.
Arsenal are also well represented in the women’s game in Manchester with Alessia Russo, Mariona Caldentey, Emily Fox and Olivia Smith representing the Gunners too.
Nico O’Reilly (left) could win PFA Young Player, in front of England boss Thomas Tuchel there
Bruno Fernandes registered a record-breaking 21 assists in the Premier League last season
Michael Carrick (left) and Omar Berrada are among those representing Manchester United
Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish smiles for the cameras alongside his wife Marina
Arsenal Women’s Olivia Smith, Mariona Caldentey, Alessia Russo, and Emily Fox (left-right) attended Tuesday’s event at the Manchester Opera Theatre
Former Lionesses Karen Carney, Eni Aluko, Jordan Nobbs and Toni Duggan are also in the crowd for Tuesday night’s showpiece.
In terms of former male footballers the likes of Mikael Silvestre, Sebastian Bassong, Ashley Young, Asmir Begovic, Kolo Toure are also present.
Ex-Manchester United and Arsenal defender Silvestre hit the headlines on Monday after calling out FIFA president Gianni Infantino, telling him to stand down.
Silvestre, who is part of FIFA’s Players’ Voice Panel, took to X to demand change, writing: ‘Enough is enough!’
The post, which went on to call for structural change within FIFA, was shared by France 1998 World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit as well as Lioness Lucy Bronze.
Infantino is also facing calls to quit from his UEFA counterpart Aleksander Ceferin in the wake of a hugely controversial plan to sell stakes in a company to run the World Cup to private investors.
And players have now begun to speak out against the 56-year-old, with Monday’s widely shared statement evidential of those who ‘share the exact same concerns as the millions of fans around the world’.
Karen Carney (left) and Mikael Silvestre are among the ex-footballers at Tuesday’s ceremony
It added: ‘Like them, we have watched the game we love drift away from its core values under FIFA’s current leadership.
‘For too long we’ve seen major decisions taken without players being consulted or considered, and without any regard for the fans who sustain the sport.
‘Change is necessary. Power has blurred the current leadership’s ability to distinguish between its own interests and what is best for football.’
Silvestre’s interjection is significant given it effectively comes from within the FIFA fold, with the Players’ Voice Panel a 16-strong group formed by the global governing body to monitor and advise on initiatives to tackle racism.
The statement continued: ‘Recent events have made silence impossible. Enough is enough.
‘We call on all stakeholders to step forward and help reshape the future of our sport.’
