March and De Zerbi nominated for January Premier League awards
A bloody good January for Brighton & Hove Albion has been recognised by the Premier League with Roberto De Zerbi and Solly March nominated for Manager of the Month and Player of the Month respectively.
De Zerbi led the Seagulls to two stunning wins over the Merseyside clubs followed by a decent draw away at Leicester City, scoring nine goals and conceding just three along the way.
The 4-1 victory at Everton was the first time that Brighton had ever scored four times in a top flight away game. Bluenoses left in their droves from the 60th minute onwards with the Albion in an unassailable 3-0 lead by that point.
Better was to come when Liverpool visited the Amex, only to be blown away by DeZerbiBall. Last season’s FA Cup winners, League Cup winners, runners up in the Premier League and runners up in the Champions League were hammered 3-0 over 90 minutes in which they barely managed to get into the Seagulls box.
Brighton had to show different characteristics at Leicester, overcoming the absence of Levi Colwill and losing Adam Lallana to a first half injury.
The free-scoring form of the previous two January matches was replaced by grit and determination, eventually leading to Evan Ferguson heading home an 88th minute equaliser to secure a deserved 2-2 draw.
De Zerbi is up against Mikel Arteta, Steve Cooper, Unai Emery and Thomas Frank for the Manager of the Month award.
If he were to triumph, he would become the first Brighton head coach to take the accolade since Chris Hughton in February 2018.
To vote for De Zerbi, follow this link. The polls close at midday on Monday 30th January.
De Zerbi owes much of his January Manager of the Month nomination to March, whose sparkling form has put him in contention for a place in the England squad.
Having been used in numerous different positions over the three-and-a-half seasons in which Glow Up Graham Potter was at the helm, March now has a settled role on the right side in De Zerbi’s 4-2-3-1.
Consistency in selection and the very obvious boost in confidence March has received since De Zerbi arrived have done wonders.
March scored a stunning strike in the win at Everton. He then followed that up with the first brace of his career against Liverpool before assisting Danny Welbeck’s stunning Paul Gasocigne at Euro 96 tribute which completed the rout.
Since Boxing Day, March has four goals in his past five league matches having managed three in 81 during Potter’s three-and-a-bit-season reign. Or to put it another way, 22% of March’s 18 career goals have been scored in the last four weeks.
Maty Ryan remains the only previous Brighton winner of a Premier League Player of the Month award. That came when three clean sheets from three games against West Ham United, Newcastle United and Wolves gave Hughton’s Albion a perfect record of 1-0 wins in October 2018.
To vote for March, follow this link. The polls close at midday on Monday 30th January.
