Manchester City’s prolific striker, Erling Haaland, has been crowned Premier League Player of the Month for August 2024, while Brighton & Hove Albion’s Fabian Hurzeler clinched the Manager of the Month award.
Haaland’s performances throughout the month were nothing short of extraordinary. The Norwegian superstar netted a remarkable seven goals in just three games, including back-to-back hat-tricks against Ipswich Town and West Ham United.
This scintillating form took his Manchester City goal tally to an astonishing 97 goals in just 102 appearances, further cementing his status as one of the Premier League’s deadliest forwards.
Haaland emerged as the top pick from a competitive shortlist that featured notable names such as Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, Aston Villa’s Amadou Onana, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, Liverpool’s talisman Mohamed Salah, Brighton’s Danny Welbeck, and Arsenal duo David Raya and Bukayo Saka.
Upon receiving the award, Haaland expressed his gratitude, saying, “I am delighted to have won this award so early in the season and would like to thank everyone who voted for me. I am also very grateful to my teammates, the coaches, and staff for helping to make it happen.”
Reflecting on the team’s strong start, he added, “August was a brilliant month for the team, and I am proud to have played an important part in that. To have scored seven goals last month in three matches is great, but I will continue to work hard and improve my game.”
Haaland acknowledged the challenges ahead, especially with Manchester City’s packed fixture list, stating, “We have given ourselves a great foundation to build on now going into a busy period with the Champions League and Carabao Cup starting. I hope I can continue to help the team get the wins and keep us pushing in all the competitions.”
This marks the third time Haaland has won the coveted @EASPORTSFC Player of the Month award, further highlighting his consistency at the top level.
Meanwhile, Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler made a remarkable entrance to Premier League management by securing the Manager of the Month accolade in his debut month in charge.
Under Hurzeler’s guidance, Brighton remained unbeaten throughout August, registering impressive wins against Everton and Manchester United, and securing a hard-fought draw against title contenders Arsenal.
Hurzeler, delighted with his first major recognition, remarked, “I think it’s always nice to win a trophy and it confirms your work. It’s not only my work though – it’s the work from the whole club, it’s the work from my staff members, the work from my players.”
The 30-year-old coach was quick to emphasize the collective effort behind the success, adding, “In the end, all who are working in the club and our togetherness have won this trophy. I’m really happy and now it’s about winning the next trophy.”
Hurzeler edged out more seasoned managers like Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, and Feyenoord’s Arne Slot, who have also been contenders for the prize, making his accomplishment all the more impressive.
As both Haaland and Hurzeler reflect on a successful August, they’ll be looking to build on this momentum as their respective teams prepare for the grueling months ahead, with domestic and European challenges looming.
