Kevin De Bruyne wins PFA Player of the Year award

Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne [REUTERS/Peter Powell]

Manchester United star Marcus Rashford has been given a special PFA Merit Award for his work tackling child poverty.

Rashford missed out to Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold in the running for the PFA Young Player of the Year award for his on-field performances.

But he was given special recognition by his peers for his sterling work campaigning for free school meals, prompting a government U-turn earlier in lockdown.

Rashford has vowed to continue his fight and received the backing of his fellow professionals with the recognition, which was announced as he took to the field for England against Denmark in the Nations League.

Manchester United's English striker Marcus Rashford (Photo by Justin Setterfield / POOL / AFP)

Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne scooped the big prize at the awards as he beat Liverpool quarter Jordan Henderson, Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane and Alexander-Arnold plus team-mate Raheem Sterling to the PFA Player of the Year award.

All the six shortlisted players made the Premier League Team of the Year, along with Nick Pope, Caglar Soyuncu, David Silva, Jamie Vardy and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Full list of PFA Awards:

PFA Merit Award: Marcus Rashford

PFA Players' Player of the Year: Kevin De Bruyne

PFA Women's Player of the Year: Beth England

PFA Men's Young Player of the Year: Trent Alexander-Arnold

PFA Women's Young Player of the Year: Lauren Hemp

PFA Premier League Team of the Year: Nick Pope, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Caglar Soyuncu, Andy Robertson, David Silva, Jordan Henderson, Kevin De Bruyne, Jamie Vardy, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sadio Mane.

PFA WSL Team of the Year: Ann-Katrin Berger, Magdalena Eriksson, Leah Williamson, Millie Bright, Maron Mjelde, Caroline Weir, Kim Little, Ji So-Yun, Beth England, Vivianne Miedema, Chloe Kelly.

PFA Championship Team of the Year: Brice Samba, Luke Ayling, Ben White, Liam Cooper, Joe Bryan, Eberechi Eze, Kalvin Phillips, Romaine Sawyers, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Ollie Watkins, Said Benrahma.

PFA League One Team of the Year: Marco Marosi, Fankaty Dabo, Michael Ihiekwe, Robert Dickie, Joe Jacobson, Cameron Brannagan, Liam Walsh, Matt Crooks, Armand Gnanduillet, Ivan Toney, Matt Goden.

PFA League Two Team of the Year: Alex Palmer, Perry Ng, Ben Tozer, Charlie Goode, Randell Williams, Antoni Sarcevic, Danny Mayor, Nicky Adams, Charlie Kirk, Eoin Doyle, Jerry Yates.