Martial wins Player of the Month award

Manchester United striker Anthony Martial has won the Premier League Player of the Month award for September.

The 19-year old Frenchman has had a remarkable start to life in Manchester after joining the Reds in a £36 million deal on transfer deadline day.

Martial scored on his debut in the 3-1 victory against Liverpool on September 12, before adding a brace in a 3-2 win over Southampton on September 20. He also assisted a goal for Wayne Rooney in a 3-0 win against Sunderland on September 26.

His efforts helped United return to the top of the Premier League table for the first time in two years, and he is the first United player to win the Player of the Month award since Robin van Persie in April 2013.

Martial beat out Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, West Ham midfielder Dimitri Payet, Watford striker Odion Ighalo, Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris and team-mate Daley Blind to the award.

Despite being pipped to United’s own Player of the Month award to Juan Mata, it’s been a fine month for Martial, who was also named the PFA Fans’ Player of the Month for September.

Louis van Gaal was also up for the Premier League Manager of the Month award, but he lost out to Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, despite both managers overseeing three consecutive victories for their respective clubs. Perhaps Spurs’ impressive 4-1 victory over Manchester City swayed the judging panel in Pochettino’s favour.