Premier League unveils Castrol Game Changer Nominees for season 2023/24

• EPL has released its nominees list of Game Changers of the Season
• This award focuses on the most impactful performance by a player in a season
• It focuses on individual game-changing goals or assists in a single match

The Premier League‘s Castrol Game Changer of the Season awards nominees were recently announced by the EPL for season 2023/24. This award is given to individual players with the most game-changing performance in a specific season.

The individual players are nominated based on an individual stunning performance that had an impact on the team. During this 2023/24 season, the winner has not yet been announced and that is scheduled for Sunday, May 26th, with six nominees including:

• Cole Palmer
• Ollie Watkins
• Kevin De Bruyne
• Scott McTominay
• Darwin Nunez
• Stefan Ortega

Cole Palmer

Cole Palmer is a young English midfielder for the England national team and English Premier League club Chelsea. He recently received his first call-up for the England national team for the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers.

He got his transfer to Chelsea in late 2023 and since then, he has taken the Premier League by storm. Palmer is a graduate of Manchester City academy where he was considered one of the brightest young talents.

Cole Palmer. Photo/Eurosport

During his tenure at Man City, he won the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League before he got a mid-season transfer to Chelsea. He immediately earned a starting point at Chelsea and was named the Player of the Season in 2023/24.

His impressive performance has earned him recognition and fans have taken notice of his ability to score crucial goals, and thus the nomination.

Kevin De Bruyne

He is a well-known midfielder who plays for Manchester City and the Belgium national team. He joined Manchester City in 2015 and since then, he has won numerous Premier League titles, FA Cups and League Cups.

He is also one of the best midfielders in the world, having won the FIFA Best Men’s Player award in 2020.

Ollie Watkins

Ollie Watkins is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Aston Villa and the England national team. He joined the club in 2020 and has since become a valuable asset to the team. 

In season 2023/24, he won the Premier League Playmaker of the Season and also scored 19 goals in all competitions.

Scott McTominay

He is a Scottish midfielder who plays for Manchester United and the Scotland national team, where he is a key player both at the club level and in his country. He graduated from the Manchester United academy and made his senior debut for the club, where he has been playing.

He is a valuable player for Manchester United and his nomination probably focused on a vital goal or provided a game-changing assist in a match that was under high pressure.

Darwin Nunez

He is a 24-year-old striker for Liverpool and Uruguay having represented them at various youth levels, and is expected to play for his country in the upcoming EURO 2024 qualifiers. He has had a big impact at Liverpool since joining them.

In this season 2023/24, he finished as the club’s top scorer in all competitions despite missing some games due to injury.

Stefan Ortega

He is a German professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper  for Manchester City in the Premier League and he has proven his experience in goalkeeping abilities in the Bundesliga and the Premier League.

Stefan Ortega. Photo/Sky Sports

In this season, Ortega played a very viral role as a substitute goalkeeper after Ederson’s injury during a match against Tottenham Hotspur. He made several key saves that helped Manchester City secure their win in their title charge.

Significance of the Castrol Game Changer award

The Premier League Castrol Game Changer award focuses on a single, standout performance by a player and this gives recognition to players who might not be consistent or top scorers but impact their team’s outcome.

It also focuses on a specific match, drawing attention to the most impactful moments of the Premier League season. It also helps bring players into the spotlight and boat their careers.