Guardiola, Kane and Hazard win monthly Premier League awards
MANCHESTER City boss Pep Guardiola has been named the Premier League Manager of the Month for February after three wins in three matches, but he doesn’t exactly appear ecstatic with the award.
Posing with the gong, Guardiola couldn’t muster a smile despite being recognised for his side’s performances last month.
Guardiola could be forgiven for the glum expression however, as his side struggled to a goalless draw at home to Stoke City on Wednesday night.
Manchester City only played three matches in February due to FA Cup and Champions League commitments but emerged with a 100 percent record, scoring eight goals and conceding just once.
City beat West Ham 4-0 at the London Stadium, won 2-1 at home to Swansea and beat Bournemouth 2-0 away from home.
The Spaniard was selected for the award ahead off Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, Manchester United’s Jose Mourinho and West Brom’s Tony Pulis — whose teams all won twice but drew once in February.
Guardiola’s side currently sit third in the Premier League table, 10 points off tabletoppers Chelsea and behind second-placed Tottenham only on goal difference.
City draw at home to Stoke City was understandably overshadowed by Guardiola’s former club Barcelona and their remarkable Champions League last-16 comeback against Paris Saint-Germain the same night.
Harry Kane has been named the Premier League player of the month for February.
The Tottenham Hotspur striker has collected the trophy for the fourth time in his career after a sterling month in which he scored four goals in his three Premier League appearances.
Kane played a key role in Tottenham’s excellent 4-0 home victory against Stoke, hitting a hat-trick as he helped Spurs continue their push towards a top-two finish.
The England international was proud to collect the trophy, admitting that it was ‘a great honour’ to do so.
“It was a good month for me and obviously for the team as well, so it’s a real honour to accept this award,” he said.
Asked about the Stoke game, he continued: “It was a great match for us, to win 4-0 shows how well we’re playing at the moment.
“For the first goal, the ball just dropped to me in the box, so I thought I’d get a quick shot off.
“It went through one of their player’s legs and went in.
“The second one against Stoke was technically one of the most difficult goals of my career — it’s in the top five goals. With the left-foot as well, it was hard. When I watch that one back I was glad it went in.”
But he admitted the third goal relied on a spot of ‘luck’. Kane also highlighted how his diet has changed since January.
‘I’ve got a new chef I’ve been working with on my nutrition to try and get me a bit leaner and a bit quicker. That seems to be working,” he continued.
Spurs take on Millwall, where Kane half a season on loan in 2012, in their FA Cup quarter-final tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Chelsea star Eden Hazard has picked up the February award for Premier League Goal of the Month after his brilliant run and finish put Arsenal to the sword in the 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge.
Hazard was a popular selection chosen from the combined votes of a panel of experts and the public, seeing off competition from Leicester City’s Danny Drinkwater and Burnley new boy Robbie Brady to scoop the second prize of the year.
Hazard has been instrumental in helping the Blues develop a commanding lead at the top, and after scoring a sublime opener in the 2-1 win at West Ham, the diminutive playmaker has been recognised for another excellent strike.
With the Blues leading 1-0 against the Gunners on February 4, Hazard picked up the ball on the halfway line with plenty of work to do.
He looked up and embarked on a solo run which took him past Laurent Koscielny and then left Francis Coquelin on the floor before skirting beyond the Arsenal captain again and firing past Petr Cech for his third goal in his previous four home games.
It was a decisive contribution from the Belgian in what could prove a seasondefining moment, with his celebrations after the magnificent effort showing the significance of the strike.
The 26-year-old was deserving of his award for the manner of his goal and its significance
“It is one of the best Premier League goals I have scored for sure,” Hazard said. “I was not thinking about scoring but step by step I came close to the goal and in the last 10 metres I was alone.
“When the ball went in I felt that I created something special so I was happy.”
Hazard is the second Chelsea player to win the award this campaign, after Pedro’s goal against Tottenham earned the November prize.
Chelsea are 10 points clear of Tottenham and Manchester City and need 24 points from their last 11 Premier League games, but they will turn their focus on sealing a FA Cup semi-final place against Manchester United on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Belgian has underlined his commitment to the Blues amid renewed interest from Real Madrid.
The 26-year-old stated earlier this season that he would only entertain the idea of leaving Stamford Bridge if he won the Premier League title again — an eventuality that could come to fruition this May.
Hazard said: “If I ever leave, it’ll be after winning a championship. You need to go out on a high so that people remember you for the right reasons.”
But despite the likelihood of Antonio Conte’s side not being caught at the summit, Hazard will not push through a move to the Bernabeu this summer, with three years remaining on his current Chelsea contract. — Sportsmail