The most successful player in England’s top league in December was Dominic Calvert Lewin of Leeds. He was also joined by Unai Emery, Head Coach of Aston Villa, to receive the title of Coach of the Month.

Both, however, proved themselves to be among the most effective performers of the month. They both helped their respective clubs achieve some of the biggest victories of the year, and as a result, they received a lot of praise from the media and fans alike.

It was a month of great success for Calvert Lewin. In the month of December, he took part in 5 games and scored 6 goals, therefore became a key player in the offensive line of his club. Calvert Lewin’s greatest achievement was when he scored twice in a winning game (4-1) against Crystal Palace. Additionally, he scored in games against Chelsea (3-1), Liverpool (3-3), Brentford (1-1), and Sunderland (1-1), thus showed a consistent and calm performance in front of the goal.
This was the first time in almost 22 years that a player of Leeds had been awarded such a prestigious individual honor. The last time this happened was in October 2001, when Rio Ferdinand was selected as the best player of the month. This is the second time in his career that Calvert Lewin has been awarded this prize. The first time he achieved this was in September 2020 while playing for Everton.

Ryan Cherki – tribuna.com

In addition to Calvert Lewin, other nominees for player of the month in December included Ryan Cherki, Phil Foden, and Erling Haaland from Manchester City, Hugo Ekitike (Liverpool), Harry Wilson (Fulham), Morgan Rogers, and Ollie Watkins (both Aston Villa). But it was Calvert Lewin and his contribution to the success of Leeds, that ultimately outperformed all the others.

Aston Villa Makes Strides Under the Leadership of Coach Unai Emery

Aston Villa performed similarly well under the leadership of Coach Unai Emery in December. During the month, the Birmingham based team took part in 6 games, and in 5 of them secured a win, and suffered just one loss. Among the teams Aston Villa defeated were such heavyweights as Arsenal (2-1), Manchester United (2-1), and Chelsea (2-1), as well as Brighton (4-3), and West Ham (3-2). The only defeat during the month was the game against Arsenal, who defeated Villa 4-1 at home.

Aston Villa under Emery is performing mature and harmonious soccer, which allows the team to hold a strong position in the standings and to challenge for participation in European tournaments. According to experts, Emery is able to not only organize the defense of his team, but unlock the attacking abilities of his players. In December, Aston Villa scored 14 goals, which is one of the best totals of the month.

Other candidates for Coach of the Month in December were Mikel Arteta (Arsenal), Josep Guardiola (Manchester City), and Daniel Farke (Leeds), but it was Emery who was named Coach of the Month.

Significance of the Awards

Aston Villa – bbci.co.uk

The individual honors in the Premier League usually indicate not only the achievements of players and coaches on an individual basis, but also the development of the teams. For Leeds, Calvert Lewin’s success can help motivate him to continue fighting for higher positions, and for Aston Villa, Emery’s selection as Coach of the Month confirms that he made the right decisions. The next few months will be very busy for both teams, and the ability to maintain the same level of leadership that Calvert Lewin and Emery displayed in December may determine the final outcome of the struggle for the highest places in the standings.