Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur each had four players apiece in the PFA's Premier League Team of the Year for 2017. The two title rivals' dominance of the vote saw several big names miss out, including Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez.Leaders Chelsea had key stars named in defence and midfield, while Tottenham goal-getter Harry Kane completed the forward line, per the PFA official Twitter account:Everton's Romelu Lukaku merited his place thanks to being the division's top goalscorer, while Liverpool's Sadio Mane and Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea have proved their worth to their respective teams throughout this season.It's hardly a surprise the full lineup is dominated by stars from both Chelsea and Tottenham, since both sides are contesting this season's title race. The Blues have the edge thanks to a season built on Kante's brawn in midfield and the flair and guile Hazard offers up top.Hazard's free-scoring brilliance makes him the natural choice for the left wing after a terrific season in front of goal, per Squawka Football:Hazard is an obvious call for this team, and his trickery and guile offer a complement to Sadio Mane's direct pace on the other flank. The Senegalese wide man has been exceptional for Liverpool this season, adding game-stretching quickness to provide a natural focal point for the Reds' passing combinations.Only a season-ending knee injury has prevented Mane from winning over all of his doubters. Even so, James Pearce of theLiverpool Echobelieves Mane's inclusion in this team makes amends for his questionable omission from another award list:There is a similar balance of opposites combining well in central midfield, where Kante's destructive qualities are supplemented by Alli's forward-thinking instincts and flair.Alli has everything in his locker to be a true world star. He's got touch, technical accomplishment and tenacity, but what is making the 21-year-old stand out is his niche for goals:While Alli continues to rise, everybody now knows about Kante's brilliance. The Frenchman is on the verge of a second straight title win as he appears set to inspire Chelsea the way he did Leicester City a season ago.Inspiration is never in short supply when Kante is snapping into challenges and using his boundless energy to press and harass opponents at every level of the pitch.Kante's inclusion in the team is surely beyond reproach. Yet things may be different when it comes to justifying Lukaku's spot, despite the Toffees striker scoring 24 league goals, perWhoScored.com.The overall tally is impressive, but Lukaku has been known to struggle against the league's top teams. It's a weakness that was made obvious by a blunt display during a recent 1-1 draw against United at Old Trafford earlier this month, per Sky Sports Statto:However, Lukaku still expressed his gratitude for making the cut, per his official Twitter account:If there is a question mark about Lukaku, it may stem from him making it ahead of Ibrahimovic. The 35-year-old has stunned his doubters by taking the Premier League by storm in his first year in England, scoring 17 times and providing five assists, perWhoScored.com.Considering he's in the winter of his career, the way Ibrahimovic has quickly transitioned to the frenetic pace of the Premier League is nothing short of remarkable, making his omission all the more confusing.It's a similar story with Sanchez, who has led the line brilliantly for Arsenal, even while playing multiple positions. Sanchez began the season converting from a wide role to centre-forward, a switch he handled brilliantly.The Chilean has continued to score even after being moved back to the flanks, as Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has searched for ways to stop the rot of a costly losing run in 2017.That Sanchez was left out, despite being nominated for the Player of the Year award, only adds to the contentious nature of his omission, perSam Longof theLondon Evening Standard.Similar questions can be asked about the choices made at the back, where Tottenham centre-back Toby Alderweireld was especially unlucky to be left out. Broadcaster and writer Stan Collymore questioned the decision to include Chelsea's Gary Cahill over Alderweireld:Even so, Alderweireld ignored his snub and focused instead on congratulating his team-mates who were honoured:If the selections along the back four were contentious, De Gea's selection merely continued the high regard the Spanish stopper is held in, even if Samuel Luckhurst of theManchester Evening Newsthinks United's No. 1has had better seasons:The Chelsea and Tottenham dominance of the team of the year makes sense, but voters may have tipped the balance too far at the expense of other star players. In particular, Sanchez and Ibrahimovic can feel very unfortunate not to have been included.For more news, rumors and related stories about Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur and the Premier League, check out the Premier League and Tottenham Hotspur streams onBleacher Report's app.
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