The Premier League have announced the winners of their February awards, and it’s bittersweet for Newcastle.
Sean Longstaff had been nominated for the player of the month award, but was up against some stiff competition.
His amazing run of form coincided with a great month for the likes of Paul Pogba and Sergio Aguero, so the Newcastle man didn’t really stand a chance.
And that’s how it ended, with Aguero winning the award after a stunning month in front of goal. While Longstaff had been brilliant, Aguero was more than a worthy winner.
The Manchester City forward scored two hat-tricks in February, scoring three times each against Arsenal and Chelsea. But the fact that Longstaff was even in the conversation is an achievement in itself.
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Schar wins Premier League goal of the month
While it was bad news for Longstaff, Fabian Schar did win an award.
The defender’s job is to keep out the opposition, but he’s proven to have quite the eye for goal. The Swiss centre-back scored his third goal of the season against Burnley, breaking the deadlock in a cagey affair. And that goal won the February Goal of the Month award.
Schar’s strike from distance was an absolute rocket. It was beyond Tom Heaton before he’d even realised.
The goal was a worthy winner, but it’s not the first stunner Schar has scored. His first goal for the club against Cardiff was sensational, channelling his inner Hatem Ben Arfa to dribble through the Bluebirds defence and finish smartly.
Individual awards don’t really matter, but it’s good to see Schar’s strike recognised for its brilliance.