EPL Player of the Month nominees: Three Bluemoon players included, Villa two

On January 8th, the Premier League officially announced the shortlist for the Player of the Month award for December 2025.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds United)

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Calvert-Lewin outscored everyone in December, ending an astonishing run of netting in six successive games by finishing off a 12-pass move in a 1-1 draw with Sunderland. His goals contributed to wins against Chelsea and Crystal Palace, and draws with Liverpool, Brentford and Sunderland, transforming Leeds’ fortunes and easing them away from the relegation places. It was the striker’s best run of form in five years.

Rayan Cherki (Man City)

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The attacking midfielder’s assists powered Manchester City’s pursuit of Arsenal in the Premier League title race. Cherki’s four in December, during which City won every single game, moved him joint-top of the assist table and gave the Frenchman the best assists per 90 minutes ratio of any player in Premier League history. The clipped passes and delicate through-balls provided the first glimpses of Cherki’s potential to replace Kevin De Bruyne in Man City’s team.

Hugo Ekitike (Liverpool)

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Ekitike’s return to the first team coincided with a resurgence in form for Liverpool that moved them back into the top four following a poor run of results. He scored the winning goal against Tottenham Hotspur, netted both goals in a 2-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion and produced another double in a 3-3 draw with Leeds United as Liverpool went unbeaten in the league in December and put them in a strong position to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

Phil Foden (Man City)

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The 25-year-old found his feet again in a big month for Man City. Foden scored four goals in City’s first three league games in December – all three thrilling victories, against Fulham, Sunderland and Palace. Pep Guardiola, the Man City manager, selected Foden in the starting XI for each of the five Premier League games and they scored a phenomenal 16 goals.

Erling Haaland (Man City)

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The striker is the third Man City player to excel in a stellar month for the club. Haaland netted five times – moving him clear at the summit of the race for the Golden Boot – but also displayed a different side to his prolific goal-scoring game by adding three assists, quadrupling his total for the season. Haaland’s eight goal involvements were unrivalled in December.

Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)

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Rogers was at the heart of establishing Aston Villa as the third team in a trio of Premier League title challengers, alongside Arsenal and Man City, as Unai Emery’s side defied the odds to keep pace at the top of the table. His four goals included a stunning long-range strike in a 3-2 win against West Ham United and another from distance and a tight angle in the victory over Manchester United.

Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)

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Watkins returned to goal-scoring form, netting five goals in five league games to end a barren spell of 11 matches without finding the net in style. He scored both goals in a 2-1 win against Chelsea – in which they came from behind to snatch an important three points – and two more in a 4-3 victory against Brighton. Villa won five successive league games in December before an 11-game winning run in all competitions was halted by Arsenal.

Harry Wilson (Fulham)

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Six goal involvements made December one of the best months of Wilson’s career. His two goals included a winner against Burnley and an exceptional strike against Palace – playing a one-two with a backheel pass then finishing the return with the outside of his boot. Fulham’s three wins cemented Marco Silva’s side in midtable.