The Premier League have now opened voting for the Manager, Player and Goal of the Month awards for October.
Four Managers find themselves shortlisted following the October fixtures of the Premier League season, so battling for the third Manager award of 2016/17, and with the PremierLeague.com’s reasoning behind the choices, are:
Mark Hughes (Stoke City) – P4 W3 GF8 GA2 GD+6
With just two points from their opening six matches Stoke started the month second from bottom but a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford served as a platform for three successive victories that lifted them to 12th. Hughes has changed his formation to bring the best out of Joe Allen by deploying the midfielder in a No 10 role, and has coaxed goals from Wilfried Bony and shored up a defence which conceded just twice in the four fixtures.
Man Utd 1-1 Stoke; Stoke 2-0 Sunderland; Hull 0-2 Stoke; Stoke 3-1 Swansea.
Antonio Conte (Chelsea) – P4 W4 GF11 GA0 GD+11
After just one point in September Chelsea recovered in style from back-to-back defeats by Liverpool and Arsenal with four wins in a row in October. Switching to three at the back reaped rewards for Conte, whose side conceded no goals and scored 11, as Eden Hazard and N’Golo Kante returned to form while Diego Costa maintained his Premier League scoring run. The 4-0 victory over Man Utd helped to lift Chelsea to within a point of the top by the end of October.
Hull 0-2 Chelsea; Chelsea 3-0 Leicester; Chelsea 4-0 Man Utd; Southampton 0-2 Chelsea.
Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool) – P4 W3 GF8 GA4 GD+4
The winner of September`s award is in line for back-to-back triumphs after Liverpool again secured three victories in the month, while maintaining an exciting brand of attacking football that only Man Utd were able to shut out. Liverpool`s displays have thrilled fans and neutrals alike and only goal difference divides them from the Premier League leaders.
Swansea 1-2 Liverpool; Liverpool 0-0 Man Utd; Liverpool 2-1 West Brom; Crystal Palace 2-4 Liverpool.
Arsene Wenger (Arsenal) – P4 W3 GF8 GA3 GD+5
Arsenal managed 10 points from a possible 12 in October. Helped by the free-scoring form of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil Arsenal produced eight goals, kept two clean sheets and extended their unbeaten run to nine Premier League matches. In so doing Wenger`s men closed the five-point divide between themselves and leaders Manchester City to end the month second in the table on goal difference.
Burnley 0-1 Arsenal; Arsenal 3-2 Swansea; Arsenal 0-0 Middlesbrough; Sunderland 1-4 Arsenal.
Fans have until 11.59pm on November 7 to register their votes, and those votes (10%) will be included with the choices of the awards panel.
Click Here to vote.
A shortlist of seven has also been selected for the Player of the Month award:
Tom Heaton (Burnley)
The England goalkeeper played a major part in Burnley’s revival in October, making 31 saves to take his season’s tally to 57, 21 more than his nearest rival. Eleven came in the match at Old Trafford where Heaton defied all that Manchester United could throw at him.
Joe Allen (Stoke City)
The Welshman thrived in his new No 10 role, scoring as many Premer League goals (three) in the month as he managed in total in his two previous seasons. Allen also created six chances for team-mates, including two assists, as Stoke recorded three wins in a row.
N’Golo Kante (Chelsea)
An ever-present in October, Kante has been the linchpin of Antonio Conte’s new 3-4-3 formation. As well providing the team a defensive solidity that meant they did not concede in October, Kante laid on six chances for team-mates, completed 247 passes and scored a memorable goal against Manchester United as Chelsea won four matches out of four.
Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
The 2014/15 Premier League Player of the Year continued his resurgence through October with three goals, an assist, seven chances teed up for team-mates and 17 completed dribbles.
Ikay Gundogan (Manchester City)
Man City fans had to wait until October to see their summer signing in action, due to a knee injury, but the German did not disappoint. The creative verve he brings to City was demonstrated by 251 successful passes, 81 of them in the final third, and the nine chances he laid on for team-mates, including an assist. Gundogan also weighed in with two goals, against West Bromwich Albion.
Diego Costa (Chelsea)
If Kante has been Chelsea’s driving force, and Hazard the wizard on the wing, Costa has represented Chelsea’s cutting edge. The Spain forward maintained his early-season form, scoring three goals as well as providing an assist, to take his tally to an unrivalled eight for the season.
Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool)
Coutinho continued to shine brightly in Liverpool’s exciting attack throughout October. The Brazilian was at the heart of everything, laying on 13 chances for team-mates, completing 14 dribbles and 92 passes that finished in the final third, He also scored a wonderful goal, his fifth of the campaign, against West Brom.
Fans have until 11.59pm on November 7 to register their votes, and those votes will be included with the choices of the awards panel and the decisions of Premier League captains.
Click Here to vote.
There are eight contenders for the Goal of the Month prize:
Dimitri Payet (WEST HAM UNITED v Middlesbrough) 1 October
Mesut Ozil (ARSENAL v Swansea City) 15 October
Jose Holebas (Middlesbrough v WATFORD) 16 October
Christian Fuchs (LEICESTER CITY v Crystal Palace) 22 October
Xherdan Shaqiri (Hull City v STOKE CITY) 22 October
Gaston Ramirez (MIDDLESBROUGH v AFC Bournemouth) 29 October
Sergio Aguero (West Bromwich Albion v MANCHESTER CITY) 29 October
Diego Costa (Southampton v CHELSEA) 30 October
Click Here to vote.
