The Premier League have now announced the five youngsters who are in the running for the January 2017 Premier League 2 Player of the Month.
The five players shortlisted for last month’s award have been drawn up following PL2 Managers nominating the best individual performance from each of their opposing teams across the course of the month.
And given January’s action, Brighton’s Robert Lynch-Sanchez, Swansea City’s Oliver McBurnie, West Ham United’s Domingos Quina, Sunderland’s Joshua Robson and Aston Villa’s Matija Sarkic find themselves all nominated.
The Premier League have some blurb on each of the nominations for this month.
Robert Lynch-Sanchez (Brighton)
The 19-year-old goalkeeper kept one clean sheet in two January matches. Nineteen-year-old goalkeeper Lynch-Sanchez impressed in two PL2 Division 2 matches, keeping one clean sheet.
Oliver McBurnie (Swansea City)
Ollie McBurnie scored six goals for Swansea’s PL2 side last month. The 20-year-old forward scored six times for Swansea in PL2, where the club are clear leaders in Division 2, and in the EFL Checkatrade Trophy. He was also called up to the senior squad on a couple of occasions.
Domingos Quina (West Ham United)
Domingos Quina has been nominated for the award a second time this season. The 17-year-old forward is nominated for the second time this season, after being on the shortlist in October. Quina did not score in January but his performances were enough to earn the nominations of his opponents` managers.
Joshua Robson (Sunderland)
Joshua Robson was part of a Sunderland defence that conceded just one goal last month. The local-born 18-year-old defender starred as Sunderland conceded only once, to leaders Everton, in three Division 1 matches in January.
Matija Sarkic (Aston Villa)
Matija Sarkic is looking to become the second player from Aston Villa to win the award this season. The 19-year-old goalkeeper is looking to become the second player from Aston Villa to win the award this season, after Rushian Hepburn-Murphy claimed it in September. He impressed by keeping a clean sheet in the goalless draw with Middlesbrough, one of two appearances in January.
The eventual winner will be decided in a couple of weeks by a panel of the Premier League Football Development Department.
2016/17 PL2 Players of the Month
December – Jonathan Leko (West Bromwich Albion)
November – Josh Sims (Southampton)
October – Paolo Fernandes (Manchester City)
September – Rushian Hepburn-Murphy (Aston Villa)
August – Ethan Robson (Sunderland)
