Steve McManaman backs Chelsea pair Eden Hazard and Jose Mourinho to win prizes at inaugural Facebook Football Awards

Fans can vote on nine different categories on the social network

Jose Mourinho puts a consoling arm around Eden Hazard (Getty Images)

Former Liverpool, Real Madrid and England winger Steve McManaman has backed Chelsea pair Eden Hazard and Jose Mourinho to clean up at the inaugural Facebook Football Awards.

McManaman, a pundit on BT Sport, believes Hazard - who has already won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award this season - is the deserving Player of the Year winner and Mourinho the Manager of the Year, after the pair helped Chelsea win their first Premier League title since 2010.

John Terry has made a strong case in recent weeks, with Chelsea's captain enjoying arguably the best season of his career at 34, but McManaman believes the Belgian winger has been the standout.

"I think Eden Hazard should get it to be very honest, I think John Terry’s had a wonderful season, but you give it to the flair players, the goal scorers rather than the goalkeepers and defenders," McManaman told The Independent.

"Like everybody in the country we appreciate how good Chelsea have been this year, Eden Hazard is the one who scores the important goals and has been their star player, I don’t think you can fault John Terry, defensively they’ve been excellent from the goalkeeper, they’ve had a very settled back four. They’ve been excellent together.

"They’re built on their defence and he’s been excellent, John, the fact he’s scored goals has been great. I'd always pick a forward, maybe just because that’s the way I was brought up and I like my teams to be entertaining; the players I'd pick are the entertaining players.

"There’s always a case for it and whether he’ll get the Football Writers award in a sentimental way – those type of players don’t always get the credit they deserve. When they play well of course we focus on the attackers rather than the players who have kept the score to zero. He’s had a wonderful season, arguably his best season and most consistent season in the latter stages of his career which is always great to see."

John Terry has also had a fantastic year for the Blues (Getty Images)

Nine awards will be up for grabs in total, with users of the site able to vote on a dedicated tab. The winners will be announced at a star-studded bash to be televised live on BT Sport on 26 May.

McManaman added that while a case can be made for other mangers, Mourinho has been the cream of the crop.

"He’s won two trophies, there’s other managers who have done a really good job in different circumstances," added McManaman.

"Ronald Koeman’s had a great year, even though Southampton have just tailed off at the end. But considering what happened in the summer and the fact they lost four or five of their best players and it was his first year in the Premier League, it’s a very difficult league to come in and hit the ground running, especially when your team has been decimated, he deserves special mention.

Ronald Koeman has been hugely impressive in his first season in England (Getty Images)

"The likes of Alan Pardew and Garry Monk, who’s taken Swansea to their highest points tally, they all deserve special mentions.

"But the fact that Mourinho’s won a league and cup double, that’s impressive. They were favourites at the start of the year and therefore the pressure is on them even more.

"The fact that they delivered it so emphatically I think is great. I can’t see many people arguing."

The inaugural Facebook Football Awards takes place on Tuesday 26 May 2015. The Awards will be televised on BT Sport 1 and streamed on Facebook. The Facebook Football Awards are an opportunity for fans from around the world to have their say on the best performances of the 2014/15 Premier League season.