Queens Park Rangers (QPR) striker Charlie Austin has picked up the Barclays Premier League Player of the Month award for December.
The 25-year-old, who trails the English league’s leading scorer, Diego Costa, by only three goals, scored five times in December, including a hat-trick in the 3-2 hard-fought win over fellow relegation strugglers West Bromwich Albion.
He becomes the second QPR player to clinch the monthly accolade after Trevor Sinclair, who won it in October 1995.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has claimed the Barclays Manager of Month award after guiding the champions to five successive wins in their final fixtures of 2014.
The ‘Cityzens’ began a run of five successive league wins with a 4-1 success at Sunderland. Subsequent victories against Everton, Leicester City, Crystal Palace, West Brom helped them edge closer to leaders Chelsea before the 2-2 draw with Burnley on December 28.
