Vardy, Mahrez and Kante head PFA nominations

Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante have been nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award thanks to their starring roles in Leicester City’s remarkable Premier League title bid.

Leicester sit seven points clear at the top of the table with just five games to go, and the consistently outstanding trio of Vardy, Mahrez and Kante have been recognised by their peers with places on the six-man shortlist, which was announced on Wednesday.

Tottenham are Leicester’s closest challengers for the title following an excellent season under Mauricio Pochettino.

Harry Kane has been the driving force behind their impressive campaign and has received nominations in both the senior and Young Player of the Year categories.

West Ham’s Dimitri Payet and Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil complete the shortlist for the senior award.

Vardy passed the 20-goal mark in the Premier League with a brace as Leicester won 2-0 at Sunderland on Sunday, while Mahrez has registered 16 goals and 11 assists to act as the perfect foil for the England international.

Kante, meanwhile, has been a revelation for Claudio Ranieri’s team in central midfield.

Spurs forward Kane is the Premier League’s top scorer with 22 to his name – one more than Vardy – while playmaker Payet has enjoyed a wonderful debut term in England, firmly establishing himself as the division’s most-feared free-kick specialist.

Ozil’s influence at Arsenal is best shown in his tally of 18 assists, which leaves him just two short of Thierry Henry’s record of 20 from 2002-03.

Joining Kane on the Young Player of the Year shortlist are his Tottenham team-mate Dele Alli, Everton duo Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley, Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho and Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland.