Maty Ryan wins PFA Player of the Month for October

Maty Ryan has been named as the PFA Bristol Street Motors Player of the Month for October, winning the award by the tightest of margins.

Both Ryan and Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang tied on exactly 19.9% of the fans vote, with Ryan being given the award on the basis that he had played more Premier League minutes than Aubameyang.

The Australian number one played in every minute of every game in October, record three clean sheets in the 1-0 victories over West Ham United, Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Aubameyang meanwhile was only introduced as a 62nd minute substitute in the Gunners 5-1 win at Fulham in which he scored twice.

He was again a used sub in their 3-1 win over Leicester with another brace coming from the bench after his introduction just past the hour mark and he was hauled in the 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace with 15 minutes remaining.

Only a handful of votes separated the other nominees who included another Albion player in Shane Duffy, Chelsea’s Ross Barkley, Fernandino of Manchester City and Anthony Martial of Manchester United.

Ryan has become the first Albion player to win a PFA Player of the Month award since the clubs promotion to the Premier League.

That it is based on fan votes makes the achievement even more impressive, given the significantly larger fan bases that Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United could count on to lend their support to their respective players.

Ryan’s October could get even better yet. He is also nominated for the EA Sports Player of the Month and, last time we checked he was also leading the way in the voting for the most coveted prize of them all – the WeAreBrighton.com October Player of the Month award.