Saka wins first-ever EPL Player of the Month as Arteta scoops fourth award

Arsenal forward, Bukayo Saka, has been named Premier League Player of the Month after helping the club to maintain their lead at the top of the table in March.

Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, was also named Premier League Manager of the Month for the fourth time in 2022-23 season.

The Gunners, in a series of tweets on its official Twitter account on Friday, congratulated Saka and Arteta.

“The Premier League’s Player of the Month award for March goes to Bukayo Saka! Congratulations, Bukayo,” the club tweeted.

Congratulating Arteta, Arsenal wrote: “Four matches. Four wins. Fourteen goals. Premier League Manager of the Month for March. Big congratulations to Mikel and his staff.”

The Gunners won all four of their league games in March, with Saka scoring three goals and claiming two assists for the club.

It is the first time Saka has won the award, while he is the second Arsenal player to nab it this season after Martin Odegaard received the joint November/December award.

Saka is the 22nd different Arsenal player to be crowned Premier League Player of the Month, the most of any club in English top-flight history.

The 21-year-old forward scored the opener in their 4-0 win over Everton at the start of March, as well as setting up Gabriel Martinelli for the second.

A brace in Arsenal’s 4-1 win over Crystal Palace at the Emirates, coupled with another set-up for Martinelli, took Saka to double figures for goals and assists in the top-flight this term.

Arsenal forward, Leandro Trossard, was also nominated for the player’s prize, after claiming five assists in March.

Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings, Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister, Liverpool’s Mo Salah, and Newcastle’s Alexander Isak were also on the shortlist.

Arteta was however named Manager of the Month for the fourth time in 2022-23, having claimed the gong in August, November/December, and January.

The Spaniard is only the third manager in history to win the award four times in a single season, following in the footsteps of old mentor Pep Guardiola (four times in 2017-18) and Jurgen Klopp (five times in 2019-20).

Arteta is now joint-ninth in the all-time standings, having taken the prize six times in his time at Arsenal.

The manager shortlist included Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, Man City’s Pep Guardiola, and Aston Villa’s Unai Emery.

The Gunners sit eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table after the conclusion of March’s matches.

Arsenal start April with a home match against Leeds United on Saturday.

The Star