De Gea makes EPL history, wins Player of the Month award
Spaniard becomes first goalie in six years to win award
Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea has made history as the first goalkeeper to win the Premier League Player of the Month award since February 2016, when Southampton’s Fraser Forster claimed it.
De Gea made an incredible 22 saves across Manchester United’s four matches in January, producing five in the 1-0 defeat by Wolverhampton Wanderers, seven in a 2-2 draw with Aston Villa and then a further eight to inspire a 3-1 win at Brentford.
He also went on to keep a clean sheet in a crucial 1-0 win over top-four rivals West Ham United.
Overall, De Gea has the most saves in the Premier League this season. His total of 84 is 13 more than his nearest challenger, Illan Meslier.
It is the first time the 31-year-old has won the Player of the Month award, after 361 Premier League appearances and 127 clean sheets.
He topped a six-man January shortlist that also featured Jarrod Bowen, Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Harrison, Joao Moutinho and James Ward-Prowse.
