Manchester United midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the
Barclays Player of the Month for December, with Bolton Wanderers
boss Sam Allardyce claiming the Barclays Manager of the Month
honour.
Cristiano Ronaldo: United winger
first player in almost 10 years to collect back-to-back
awards
The Portugal international becomes the first player in almost 10
years to claim the award for a second month in a row after a
fruitful end to 2006 which saw the 21-year-old score seven goals in
just six Barclays Premiership appearances.
Ronaldo grabbed the goalscoring limelight with the third in
United's 3-1 victory against neighbours Manchester City, two more
in the 3-0 win at Aston Villa, and further braces in the home
successes against Wigan Athletic (3-1) and Reading (3-2).
The gifted winger's magnificent seven took his tally for the season
in the league to 12, where he now sits just a solitary goal behind
Chelsea's Didier Drogba in the race for the Barclays Premiership
Golden Boot.
He also becomes only the third player in Premier League history to
win consecutive awards, and the first in almost a decade since
Dennis Bergkamp picked up successive gongs in August and September
1997.
Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler was the only other player to
achieve this feat in December 1995 and January 1996.
Jim Hytner, from the Barclays Awards Panel, said: Ronaldo
continued his fine form from November and said goodbye to 2006 in
fantastic style.
"His pace, quick feet and eye for goal are proving to be a real
handful for defences at the moment, as his return of seven goals
from six games in December illustrates.
