Lingard beats Iheanacho, Greenwood to win EPL player award

WEST HAM forward Jesse Lingard has been named Premier League Player of the Month for April.

The Manchester United loanee beat off competition from March winner Kelechi Iheanacho, United’s Mason Greenwood and five other nominees.

Lingard was also nominated for the February and March awards before finally landing the prize for April, a month in which he scored four goals and made one assist.

“I’ve been nominated for the past two months and even getting nominated is a great feeling for me,” Lingard told the Premier League website after receiving his award.

“I want to be up there as the best I can be and the best in the world.”David Moyes has shown faith and given me the freedom in each game to go and perform.”

Lingard started April with a superb solo strike against Wolverhampton Wanderers before assisting Jarrod Bowen’s goal in the same game which West Ham won 3-2 away.

He then scored twice in a 3-2 victory over Leicester City, and netted again in a loss by the same scoreline at Newcastle United.

The 28-year-old Englishman has won the honour for the first time and is the first West Ham player to claim the prize since Michail Antonio in July 2020.

The other nominees were Stuart Dallas, Matheus Pereira, Allan Saint-Maximin and Chris Wood.

Newcastle United coach Steve Bruce has been named Manager of the Month for April.