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By: Johnny Edward.
Taiwo Awoniyi has been shortlisted for the Premier League Player of the Month award for the month of August.
The 25-year-old striker has scored three times totalling 184 minutes in four games for Nottingham Forest this season, stretching his impressive scoring run from last term to seven consecutive Premier League matches — the third African player to do so after Mohammed Salah and Sheyi Adebayor.
Awoniyi will face competition from West Ham’s Jarod Bowen, James Maddison of Tottenham Hotspur, Rodri (Manchester City), Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford) and Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton and Hove Albion) in the race for the gong.
Only Bryan Mbeumo has matched Awoniyi’s scoring feat so far this term. The Cameroonian has stepped up in the absence of suspended Ivan Toney, scoring a joint-high three August goals, from only seven shots, for unbeaten Brentford.
Bowen and Rodri have scored twice while the duo Maddison and Mitoma have a goal and two assists each.
Awoniyi is expected to play a part when Nigeria takes on Sao Tome and Principe in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio stadium on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta has been named in the Manager of the Month category after leading the Gunners to an unbeaten streak in the period under review.
Arsenal won three games and drew one as they continued their quest to win a first league tie since 2004.
Arteta was listed for the award alongside his former boss and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool, David Moyes of Everton and Ange Postecoglou of Tottenham.
The public votes will be combined with those of a panel of football experts to decide the winner, who will be announced next week.