Manchester United star, Bruno Fernandes alongside Aston Villa boss Dean Smith has won the Premier League Player and Manager of the month of December respectively. Fernandes upon receiving his accolade has become the first footballer in the English top-flight to be named Player of the Month four times in a single calendar year. The playmaker won the individual accolade for the months of February, May, November and December.
The Portugal international defeated the likes of team-mate Marcus Rashford, Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, Manchester City defender John Stones, Aston Villa duo Anwar El Ghazi and Emi Martinez, Burnley defender Ben Mee and West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek to win the award back to back.
Meanwhile, 49-year-old Villa boss Dean Smith with a run of 3 victories and 2 draws which see his side finish 2020 in fifth place also bagged the December accolade as a manager. Smith beat Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti, Burnley counterpart Sean Dyche and Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to win the award.
The Villa boss has won the award at the third time of asking this season, having been nominated for the September and November accolades only then to be beaten to it by Ancelotti and Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
