Joel Matip wins his first Premier League Player of the Month award

Joel Matip is the first Cameroonian to win Premier League’s monthly award.

Joel Matip played every minute for Liverpool in February and conceded just one goal in four matches.

Not just keeping three clean sheets, he also scored in Liverpool’s 6-0 win over Leeds and provided an assist to Diogo Jota in the match against Leicester. The centre-back is the first-ever Cameroonian to win Premier League POTM, while he is also the first centre-back to win the award since December 2018, and teammate Virgil Van Dijk was the last to win it. He has 27 caps for the Indomitable Lions, including playing at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. He stopped playing for them after a difference of opinions.

The 31-year-old and centre-back partner Van Dijk have been in serious form in February, conceding just one goal in their four wins out of four. The title seemed to be slipping away from the Reds at the beginning of 2022 but, in February, they reignited their title race with four wins. They narrowed down the gap to Manchester City who is six points above Liverpool, having played an extra game.

Advertisement

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe was named Manager of the Month after a spectacular February. The Magpies were unbeaten in February after three home wins, two away wins and a draw to West Ham United. Under Howe, Newcastle moved out of the relegation zone for the first time since the season started, and are currently 14th and four points behind 10th placed Southampton.

The Magpies had failed to record a league victory before the former Bournemouth manager’s arrival, but are now 10 points clear of the relegation zone.