Vote for your February 2023 WAB Brighton Player of the Month

Dropped points against Crystal Palace and Fulham made the quest for Europe a little harder for Brighton and leaves a less stellar shortlist for the February 2023 WAB Player of the Month award than we have become accustomed to since the World Cup.

Two wins from four matches were delivered by single goals. Kaoru Mitoma hit a late winner against Plucky Little Bournemouth at the start of the month, continuing the form which has seen him win the January 2023 Player of the Month award, the December 2022 Player of the Month award and the November 2022 Player of the Month.

If Mitoma were to top the polls again, he would write a little bit of WAB history by becoming the first man to win four in a row.

Mitoma claimed an assist for the other winning goal of February, playing an unselfish square pass to Evan Ferguson to apply the finish as the Albion beat Stoke City 1-0 to progress to the quarter finals of the FA Cup.

Solly March down the opposite flank has probably outshone Mitoma with his February 2023 good enough to spark rumours that he is a player interesting England manager Gareth Southgate.

March scored in the 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace. So too did Pervis Estupinan, only to find himself having to settle for just an assist for a barnstorming display at Selhurst Park thanks to a spectacular refereeing cock up.

Moises Caicedo was very quickly back into the swing of things following the drama of the January transfer window.

To watch Caicedo play in February was to see a young man completely unaffected by not securing a big money move, who continues to excel despite the fact he is only paid a weekly wage of £7.50 and a bag of cheese and onion McCoys.

The other two players on the shortlist come from an Albion defence which would have claimed three clean sheets out of four were it not for that Robert Sanchez howler against Palace.

Lewis Dunk and Joel Veltman continue to be two of the most dependable defenders in Roberto De Zerbi’s squad, as acknowledged by the Brighton head coach himself.

The candidates for WeAreBrighton.com February 2023 Brighton Player of the Month

Moises Caicedo
Any question over whether Arsenal and Chelsea bids and his agent’s attempts to force through a January move would impact his performances were suitably answered. Caicedo started on the bench against Bournemouth before being restored to De Zerbi’s XI for Palace, since when he has been at his formidable best in that crucial holding midfield role.

Lewis Dunk
February 2023 will be remembered as the month when Dunk became the 10th Brighton player to make 400 appearances for the club. He was in great form, ensuring Robert Sanchez was rarely troubled in the Albion’s three Premier League outings. Even managed to showcase his passing ability in game 400 with a defence splitting through ball in the build up to the only goal at Stoke.

Pervis Estupinan
February was arguably his best month as a Brighton player so far with several highlights. His last ditch sliding block against Plucky Little Bournemouth was so good that Robert Sanchez celebrated as if it were a goal. Estupinan did manage to score at Palace, only for it to be ruled out for an abysmal VAR decision before claiming the assist for March’s goal which did stand. Followed that up with a strong showing in the Fulham defeat.

Solly March
The March for England campaign continued to gather pace through February. Gave Bournemouth a torrid time and was lively against Fulham. His goal at Selhurst Park would have been particularly sweet seeing as he was released as a kid by Palace.

Kaoru Mitoma
His quietest month in an Albion shirt so far and yet he still managed one goal and one assist from four matches. Both Palace and Fulham double marked him to reduce his effectiveness and it looked like Bournemouth were going to achieve the same when Mitoma went until the 86th minute until having a shot on target. His second shot on target against the Cherries resulted in the winner.

Joel Veltman
Gave a masterclass in how to defend as a centre back who has picked up a very early booking in the win over Bournemouth – particularly with a perfectly timed tackle in the box which, had he got wrong, would have left Brighton playing for over an hour with 10 men and potentially a very different outcome.

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Poll closes at 8pm on Sunday 5th March