Alan Pardew and Vincent Kompany's Premier League award

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Alan Pardew

Newcastle United's Alan Pardew has been named the Premier League manager of the season, while Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has taken the players' prize.

Newcastle are fifth in the league and targeting a Champions League place in Sunday's final game at Everton.

"It's been a magnificent achievement by everyone at this club," said Pardew.

Kompany has been a key man in City's defence as they close in on their first title since 1968.

On Sunday's final day of the season, leaders City host Queens Park Rangers knowing victory should see them clinch the title because of their superior goal difference to neighbours United.

Newcastle cannot finish lower than fifth this season, meaning they will end the campaign ahead of Chelsea and Liverpool. They are aiming to overtake Arsenal and Tottenham to the third and automatic Champions League spot.

Pardew added: "The pinnacle of the game is the Champions League. To actually be competing for it is more than we imagined.

"To have that opportunity [of Champions League qualification] is something that doesn't come along very often, and we want to try to grasp it."

He took over in December 2010 following the sacking of Chris Hughton, when the team was in mid-table in the Premier League having been newly promoted from the Championship - they eventually finished the season in 12th place.

Pardew has taken the club to the verge of Champions League qualification this season, with his signings, particularly strikers Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse, proving influential.

Kompany took the players' award for his performances in a Manchester City defence which has conceded just 27 goals in 37 games, helping them to establish a superior, and potentially decisive, goal difference of eight in comparison to Manchester United.

City have kept 17 clean sheets this season and their winner in the crucial 1-0 win over United at the end of last month was scored by Kompany.

The Belgian international tweeted:, external "I'm really grateful but I must say straight away that I wish I could share this award in particular with my defensive partners... they are all incredible - Pablo Zabaleta, Gael Clichy, Joleon Lescott - and those not on Twitter. The prize is theirs!"

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