A number of the Premier League’s stellar strikers stepped up to the plate in some style at the weekend as the race for the title of PFA Fans’ Player of the Month for October enters the final lap.
Luis Suarez, Sergio Aguero, Fernando Torres and Wayne Rooney were all on target and, based on performances throughout the month, there’s little to choose between the Fab Four.
No doubt who gets the prize for the stand-out show of the weekend however – Liverpool striker Suarez whose first Anfield hat-trick had even his one-time detractors drooling.
West Brom had no answer to the Uruguayan genius and Brendan Rodgers said: “I knew once I got the commitment from him in the summer he wasn't going to walk out. He’s been great from then on.”
The Reds boss added: "It was a difficult summer for him but we managed it as a club and he has come out of the other side and he is performing as he does, to a very high level."
Comparisons with the ‘re-birth of Fernando Torres who was also the subject of a summer of uncertainty are tangible, and the Chelsea man is getting back to his best.
Torres followed up his two-goal heroics against Schalke with another all-action display which didn’t start too well with a glaring miss, but finished with a match-winning strike against Manchester City.
The Spaniard deserved the stroke of luck which came his way courtesy of a late Joe Hart mis-judgement, and manager Jose Mourinho said: "It was a fantastic performance from Fernando because it was built after an easy miss and that makes it even more valuable.
"He could have been affected for the rest of the game but it looked like that was the moment he said 'I will be man of the match'.”
Sergio Aguero was also a two-goal Champions League hero in the week in City’s victory in Moscow, and he added another Premier League goal to his tally on Sunday.
The Argentine’s sixth goal in as many games wasn’t enough to prevent City from crashing to a 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge, but he couldn’t have done more.
City boss Manuel Pellegrini says of Aguero: “He is a top player. I always talk with Sergio about the fact that he, for me, is one of the five top players in the world.
"He was an important player in the past - with his goal Manchester City won the title. We hope in the future he will continue being a very important player for the club."
Another Manchester-based player on fire at the moment is United’s born-again talisman Wayne Rooney who is reveling under the leadership of his former Everton boss David Moyes.
"It's been great working with Wayne because he's an excellent footballer. I've said from day one he's been great,” said the new United chief.
"He had a very good game in midweek and continued that against Stoke. We want him to keep scoring goals. He is a big plus for us just now.”
But whilst the strikers took centre stage at the weekend – including Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge who produced another moment of magic – don’t forget some of the other all-star performers.
September fans’ winner Aaron Ramsey has continued his fine form whilst North London rival Andros Townsend is another name in the frame along with the likes of Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud.
So many stars; so many choices – but who will get your vote for PFA Fans’ Player of the Month in the best league in the world?
Source: DSG
