Lallana scoops England player of the year prize

Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana has been voted England player of the year for 2016.

Lallana succeeds national-team captain Wayne Rooney as the winner, having polled 39 per cent of the vote from members of the England Supporters Club.

Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy was second with 12 per cent, while Rooney drew eight per cent of votes as he fell short of scooping the award for a third consecutive year.

Amid England’s dismal Euro 2016 campaign, Lallana’s performances provided one of the few areas of encouragement.

Despite unrest in the dugout, with Gareth Southgate coming in as manager at the end of Sam Allardyce’s short-lived reign, Lallana impressed for the Three Lions – netting a last-gasp winner in their opening World Cup qualifier against Slovakia before scoring in the back-to-back November matches with Scotland and Spain.

“This award is a huge honour,” the former Southampton playmaker told the Football Association’s official website. “The last three winners were Rooney, Rooney and Steven Gerrard so that just goes to show what a great achievement this is.

“Things have been going well this season for my club so that always helps. When you’re playing well for your club then hopefully you can transmit your form into the national team and help out.

“That’s what has been happening but I don’t want that to be for just one season – I want to continue that for as long as possible.”

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp added: “It’s very nice and the right decision – he’s had an outstanding year,”