Burnley hero Danny Ings is not prepared to give up his PFA Fans’ Player of the Month crown without an almighty scrap.
Ings was the fans’ favourite in the Championship last month and has maintained his impressive run of form in October, a month which has seen the Clarets claim and sustain top spot.
For a time early on in the campaign it looked like QPR would run away with the league title, but Sean Dyche’s Burnley had other ideas and have put together a devastating winning run.
Ings has more than played his part and his two goals in the weekend victory over Harry Redknapp’s Rangers took his season’s tally to 13.
And the new England Under 21 international has vowed not to rest on his laurels as he continues to fill the boots of former Burnley idol Charlie Austin who left for QPR in the summer.
"I can't sit on 13 now and get complacent,” said Ings, who is benefiting from an injury-free run. “I work hard in training every day to hopefully better myself as a player and hopefully the goals keep coming."
He adds: “I'm just enjoying my football as I've had a tough couple of years through injuries. Now that I'm fit I'm going out with a smile on my face and it's been really effective.”
In terms of league goals, Ings is just one behind leading scorer Jordan Rhodes who moved into double figures with his spot kick strike in Blackburn’s 2-2 draw with Blackpool at the weekend. Also on target with a penalty of his own in that game was Blackpool’s Tom Ince who was a fans’ player contender last month and is very much in the running this time around.
The England Under 21 star, son of Pool boss Paul of course, is sure to be a transfer target for some of the Premier League big guns in January – especially if he maintains his current run of form.
Another young Championship player attracting huge interest from above – and beyond if rumours involving Barcelona are true – is Derby’s creative and fearless midfielder Will Hughes.
Despite his tender years Hughes is the man who makes the Rams tick, and he is a regular provider of chances for the likes of Jamie Ward in the Derby attack.
Derby have been free-scoring since the arrival of new boss Steve McClaren, and Ward has weighed in with four goals this month as the Rams keep up their play-off push.
There have been plenty of other outstanding individual performers in the Championship in October but who will get your vote?
Source: DSG
