Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Barclays Player of the Month award
for the second month in a row.
Following on from his November prize, the Manchester United winger
has become only the third player to win consecutive awards.
The 21-year-old continued his fine form at the end of 2006 with six
goals in seven games in December.
Ronaldo began the month with a goal in the 3-1 win over rivals
Manchester City before he bagged a brace in the away victory at
Aston Villa.
A further pair of goals followed in the wins over Wigan and Reading
at Old Trafford.
The excellent goalscoring month has left Ronaldo just one goal back
of Didier Drogba in the race for this season's Golden Boot.
It is the first time in almost 10 years that a player has won the
player of the month award in succession.
"Ronaldo continued his fine form from November and said goodbye to
2006 in fantastic style," Barclays Awards Panel member Jim Hytner
said.
"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."