Rasmus Hojlund wins February’s Premier League Player of the Month award after the £72m man netted FIVE goals in four matches for Man United … as Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta picks up the Manager of the Month award
Rasmus Hojlund has been named the Premier League‘s player of the month following the Man United star’s scoring streak, as Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is named the Manager of the Month following the Gunners’ flawless February.
The Danish striker has been in flying form in recent weeks scoring in all six of his previous Premier League fixtures, before suffering a muscle injury, that has seen him miss their last two league matches.
After a tough start to life in the top-flight, following his £72million move from Atalanta, the 21-year-old struggled to adapt to the new league, scoring his first goal for Erik ten Hag‘s side during their 3-2 victory against Aston Villa in December.
It was a huge relief for the striker and an important goal too, netting an 82nd minute winner to end a four-match run without a victory.
Since then he has been in flying form, scoring seven goals in his last six league appearances, while returning two assists, to help United go undefeated in all of those matches.
‘I’m very happy,’ he said to the club’s website. ‘Of course, it’s a big privilege to get this award, especially with the other contenders who were nominated as well.’
Rasmus Hojlund has been named the Premier League’s Player of the Month for February
Speaking on his recent form, Hojlund added: ‘I always like to say I have the confidence before I go into the game. Of course, you get a little bit more momentum going into the game when you’ve scored.
‘You feel like you’re in good form and in a good flow and you just want the next game to come. They can’t come fast enough!’
Injuries have impacted his excellent run of form, with the Dane having been ruled out of United’s recent defeats by Fulham and Man City with a muscle injury.
Hojlund has teased though there is a chance he could make a return for United’s clash this Saturday against Everton, reportedly giving fans outside of the club’s Carrington training ground a cryptic message over his return.
According to The Metro, he was asked on Thursday when he’ll be back and replied: ‘We’ll see’.
Ten Hag has also admitted his elation that Hojlund has finally found his grove.
‘When he started he didn’t have so much luck… the disallowed goal against Brighton as one,’ Ten Hag added.
‘Those kinds of moments are very important when you come to a new league, especially as a striker, to build some confidence.
‘We see he is a fighter and he has great ability in front of the goal.
‘There are many areas he can improve but his scoring ability is clear.’
Mikel Arteta was also named Manager of the Month after a flawless February that saw the Gunners go undefeated
Despite being sidelined with a muscle injury, Hojlund has scored seven goals in his last six Premier League appearances
His manager Erik ten Hag lauded him as ‘a fighter’ after turning things around following a difficult start to life at Man United
Hojlund said it was a privelege to be given the award and added his favourite goal was the one was his chested goal against Luton
Arteta the only manager to go undefeated in February
Arsenal’s excellent run of form in Febuary has helped the Gunners close the gap between them, Liverpool and Man City at the top of the Premier League table to just two points.
And it’s been a big month for Arteta’s side, who claimed a massive 3-1 victory against league leaders Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium at the start of the month, before going on to record a 6-0 win against West Ham and a 5-0 win against Burnley.
The goals kept coming, with the north London outfit subsequently besting Newcastle 4-1, wrapping up February with a whopping 18 goals to go to the top of the Premier League’s form table.
The Gunners boss celebrated winning the accolade with his coaching staff Inaki Cana, Carlos Cuesta, Albert Stuivenberg, Nicolas Jover and Miguel Molina – with Arteta now having been named Manager of the Month on seven different occasions since taking the reins at Arsenal back in 2019.
Speaking on whether recent results have sent a message to Arsenal’s title rivals, Arteta spoke of the importance of how little his side are conceding, despite having scored a ton of goals in recent weeks.
‘It’s great because it shows the quality and the consistency that the team is showing,’ he told reporters ahead of their clash against Brentford this weekend.
Arteta said in a press conference this week that his side’s recent form will have sent a message to their title rivals
‘The way that we have scored those goals as well, not only the manner but as well the personnel is a really positive thing to see.
‘Then there’s the fact that we are conceding very little defensively so those ingredients together are very powerful to get results and consistency and we want more.
‘We know the demands that we have and the demands that Brentford are going to ask us to win the match and identify that.
We are still not [top of the league] and we want to be better than where we are at the moment, and the other two are, so we have to continue to win.’
