Martial Prem’s player of month – but not United’s

Matt Stead

Anthony Martial has been voted the Premier League’s player of the month for September – despite Juan Mata winning Manchester United’s equivalent.

Martial has enjoyed a stunning start to life in English football, scoring four goals and assisting another in his first seven games in all competitions. Three of those strikes and his assist all came in the Premier League.

Martial joined the Red Devils in a deal worth an initial £36.7million from Monaco on transfer deadline day this summer, although that fee could rise to £56.7million upon the completion of particular clauses.

The Frenchman held off competition from team-mate Daley Blind, Watford striker Odion Ighalo, Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris, West Ham star Dimitri Payet and Leicester forward Jamie Vardy to win the award, but the absence of Juan Mata from the nominees remains rather suspect.

Midfielder Mata was voted Manchester United’s player of the month for September after scoring two goals and providing two assists in three games, meaning that the league’s best player in September in Martial wasn’t his club’s best player. Obviously.

Mauricio Pochettino won the Premier League’s managerial equivalent of the award for September, with Brendan Rodgers a close second.