So another year is almost over and what a year it has been: 2016 will go down as one of the most remarkable we’ve seen in football after the 5,000-1 title triumph of Leicester City. Claudio Ranieri’s heroes will never be forgotten.

They have been the outstanding achieving team of the past 12 months, but as this is my penultimate column before the new year, I want to hand out some other awards that show, once again, that no other domestic competition comes close to matching the excitement and drama of the Premier League.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: N’GOLO KANTE (Chelsea)

He doesn’t score many goals or provide many assists — he scored just one in 2016 and only created another two — but there hasn’t been a more influential player in the league.

I highlighted him 12 months ago for being that season’s outstanding signing, following his £5.6million move from Caen to Leicester. He’s subsequently joined Chelsea for £29.2m and even that looks outstanding value, given how crucial the France international has become for Antonio Conte’s side.

Kante was the driving force behind Leicester’s pursuit of history and now he might have a chance to add a second Premier League medal. The drop Leicester suffered and the upturn Chelsea have enjoyed hasn’t all been because of this marathon man — but his importance cannot be overstated.

N'Golo Kante was the driving force behind Leicester's title win, and could add a second medal

BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST: DELE ALLI (Tottenham)

You have to remind yourself from time to time that Alli has yet to turn 21.

He plays with such confidence and looks so comfortable in the Premier League that you would have him down for being a good few years older.

It was only right that he was named PFA Young Player of the Year in April for his role in the Tottenham title challenge and though he did not have the impact on Euro 2016 he would have liked, Alli has finished 2016 strongly. His star is firmly ascending.

It was only right that Dele Alli of Tottnehma was named the PFA Young Player of the Year

BEST SIGNING: ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC (Manchester United)

In a year in which we saw the transfer record broken, the best acquisition is the one that arrived at Manchester United for no fee.

I felt critics looked at Ibrahimovic, when he was dominating in Serie A and Ligue 1, with an element of suspicion because he didn’t do it in the Champions League. Things started to change when he scored four against England for Sweden during a friendly in November 2012, but now he has arrived in the Premier League, he hasn’t let us down, with 16 goals in 25 games.

You cannot dispute he is box office. He is charismatic, powerful and a scorer of all kinds of goals. Zlatan has shown us why he has won 29 major honours — including 11 league titles — during his glittering career.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has shown us why he has won 29 major honours during his glittering career

BEST GAME: Liverpool 4 Borussia Dortmund 3 (Europa League quarter-final, 2nd leg, April 14)

I played in my fair share of memorable European nights at Anfield and always knew what influence the crowd could have but it was a totally different experience sitting in the stands that night. I was so drained, so blown away by what I had seen, I felt as though I had been on the pitch.

It was one of the greatest nights the old stadium has staged, one which finished with Jurgen Klopp saluting all four sides of the ground.

It left you speechless, breathless and unable to explain how Liverpool had come from 3-1 down with 24 minutes remaining against a side of Dortmund’s class.

Liverpool players celebrate at Anfield after one of the greatest nights the stadium has staged

CARRAGHER'S TEAM OF 2016:

Carragher's XI (4-4-2): Hugo Lloris; Cesar Azpilicueta, Toby Alderweireld, Virgil Van Dijk, Danny Rose; Sadio Mane, N'Golo Kante, Adam Lallana, Riyad Mahrez; Sergio Aguero, Diego Costa.

I have gone for a 4-4-2 formation. Some of the choices are obvious, others you might argue against.

Lloris gets the nod in goal over Manchester United’s David De Gea. He only conceded 31 goals in 34 games and his save against Monaco in the Champions League was as good as anything we have seen.

The defence picks itself, as does the forward line, but Mane and Lallana are included in midfield for their consistency, their class and most of all the improvement they have shown over the last 12 months. Mane has been outstanding, Lallana is currently the best English player in the division.

Adam Lallana of Liverpool is currently the best English player in the Premier League

BEST GOAL: DIMITRI PAYET (West Ham v Crystal Palace, Upton Park, April 2)

There were a few glorious strikes to choose from, such as Dele Alli’s spectacular flick and volley at Selhurst Park in January or Jamie Vardy’s long-range strike a month later against Liverpool but the free-kick Payet produced was extraordinary.

Wayne Hennessey is a 6ft 5in goalkeeper. He had the side of his goal covered that Payet was aiming for but such was the precision of the France international’s effort, two goalkeepers wouldn’t have stopped it going in. That’s how good it was.

The free kick Dimitri Payet produced for West Ham against Crystal Palace was extraordinary

BEST MOMENT: JAMIE VARDY, STAGING A PARTY

You will have seen the footage over and over, but if you are a Leicester fan you will never get sick of watching it. That instant, when Leicester’s players realised Spurs’ failure to beat Chelsea had made them champions, is what sport is all about.

Screams of celebration, the wide-eyed looks of delight and disbelief and the players tumbling over each other as they celebrated on the floor; Leicester deserved every second they were in the spotlight.

They won the title by 10 points to write one of the greatest stories we have ever seen.

The instant when Leicester players realised they were champions is what sports is all about

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: DEFENDING

The excitement in the Premier League never stops and every week we are treated to a glut of goals.

As an example, there have been 40 top-flight matches staged so far in December and they have produced 119 goals, an average of almost three per game.

But there have only been 21 clean sheets kept in that particular period and one 0-0 draw. Of course we want to see attacking talent and great moments of quality in the final third — but the poor quality of defending now means that forwards are being given extra assistance.

I have no doubt that our teams’ inability to keep clean sheets in Europe will cost us once again in the Champions League. Paolo Maldini once told me during a conversation that there were ‘no great defenders in Italy’ any more.

I think we can say the same in England now, too.

Paolo Maldini (left) claimed there are no great defenders in Italy any more and the same can be said in England now, too

Man of the week: Jordan Henderson

It’s now 10 games unbeaten against Everton for Liverpool’s captain and you couldn’t fail to see his delight about this latest Merseyside derby success.

Sadio Mane grabbed the headlines with his injury-time goal — but Henderson’s performance could not go without notice. He ensured his side retained their discipline in the first half when Everton tried to make it a fight and then went on to always pick the right pass when Liverpool started to play.

The game, of course, could have ended disastrously for Henderson, when he was caught by a poor tackle from Ross Barkley — and it was only natural that he was angry during the closing stages about what had happened. He realised the challenge could have broken his leg.

But what really impressed me was the way Jordan handled himself after the game, defusing the situation with a brilliant interview. He could easily have got caught up in the emotion and said something rash but he dealt with it calmly.

When he first became Liverpool captain, things were not so easy and it is not wrong to say he struggled with initial scrutiny but everything about his performance at Goodison Park showed how much he has grown into the role.

You could not fail to see the delight of Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson after the derby win

Why Virgil Van Dijk is a £40million bargain

The transfer window will soon be open and Virgil van Dijk looks destined to become the dominant figure next month.

He really impressed me during his first season in England with Southampton and I was surprised that Ronald Koeman did not take the Holland international with him when he became Everton’s manager. With John Stones leaving, Van Dijk (right) looked like an ideal replacement.

Since then, though, Van Dijk’s performances have gone up another level, to the extent that Manchester City are leading the chase for his signature and Chelsea are also watching events. Southampton look like they know it will be hard to keep him at St Mary’s.

If and when he moves, Southampton will be looking for a fee in the region of £40million — maybe even more — for Van Dijk, 25. That is fair enough because that is the going rate for top-class central defenders.

Van Dijk belongs in that category because he is as good off the ball as he is on it; he’s powerful, composed and durable — he’s barely missed a game since he has been on the south coast. He has a big future in front of him.

Southampton defender Virgil Van Dijk belongs in that category of top-class centre backs

WISH FOR 2017: A title race to remember

Chelsea look unstoppable as we head into the festive season and they are grinding out those crucial 1-0 wins that define champions.

But there is a long way to go, and with the quality of managers we have in England and the attacking players, it is not impossible that they will be reeled in.

I’d love nothing more than to see three or four teams heading into May, neck and neck, all with a chance of becoming champions.

I don’t think I would be alone in hoping that wish comes true. Merry Christmas to you all.