Rodrigo Muniz is Fulham’s first Premier League Player of the Month in 14 YEARS – as Brazil striker is rewarded for four-goal hot streak in March

Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz has been named Premier League player of the month for March after netting four goals in as many games for the Cottagers. 

The 22-year-old is the first Fulham player to win the award since goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer in 2010, while Louis Saha also won it as a Cottager back in August 2001.

The Brazilian has been a revelation in the second-half of the campaign, having struggled to nail down a place in Marco Silva‘s side and failing to score before February. 

Since then, the 22-year-old has scored eight times, including strikes against Aston Villa and Tottenham. 

His brace against Ange Postecoglou‘s team last month helped Fulham to a stunning 3-0 victory over their London rivals, who are closing in on a Champions League qualification spot. 

Rodrigo Muniz has been on a hot-streak since breaking his Premier League duck in February

Mark Schwarzer was the last Fulham player to win the award after keeping five consecutive clean sheets in February 2010

Muniz prevailed in a stacked list of nominees that included Alexis Mac Allister, Cole Palmer, Son Heung-min, Alexander Isak, Ben White and Antoine Semenyo.

Muniz’s form could see him make a late push for Brazil’s Copa America squad the summer. He is yet to represent his country at any level but now finds himself in a close battle to be the highest-scoring Brazilian in the Premier League this season. 

Spurs striker Richarlison currently leads the way with 10, ahead of Mathias Cunha of Wolves and Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz with 9. 

Muniz’s emergence in the last few months is all the more startling when considering his slow start to life in England following his signing from Flamengo in 2021. 

Muniz scored four goals in four games in March, including the stoppage-time equaliser in Fulham’s 3-3 draw against Sheffield United

He scored five goals in 25 Championship appearances during his debut campaign with the west London outfit before he was loaned back out to the second-tier with Middlesbrough, despite Fulham’s promotion. 

There, Muniz could only many two goals from 17 appearances, with him looking set to for further short-term spells away from the club, if not a permanent departure. 

Instead, he has filled the whole left by Aleksandar Mitrovic and usurped Raul Jimenez in the starting line-up, with Fulham sat 13th and well clear of the relegation picture.