Ighalo Nominated For English Premier League Player Of The Month Award

Watford striker, Odion Ighalo, has been shortlisted for the English Premier League Player of the Month award for September.

Should he win, Ighalo would be the first Watford player to win the award in 20 years.

Ighalo who has scored five goals in eight games helping the Hornets to maintain a 12th placed position in the English Premier League’s top half.

The Super Eagles forward is to contend with Leicester City’s England striker, Jamie Vardy, Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris, West Ham playmaker Dimitri Payet and Manchester United pair Anthony Martial and Daley Blind for the award.

Ighalo is the top scorer in England with 21 goals this calendar year and has scored in five consecutive Premier League games, but has some way to go to match Alan Shearer’s record of scoring in nine games in a row in 1993.

Ighalo is one of only 13 forwards in the EPL to get five or more clear-cut chances this season and he boasts the best conversion rate among all of them.

While Ighalo who scored against Cameroon last Sunday in a friendly in Belgium, praised Deeney’s work rate, even his skipper admits Ighalo is “naturally a better finisher” than him.

Recall that Chinese second tier,  Hebei China Fortune side offered £10m and a salary of around £50,000 per week for the former Udinese forward.

“They offered me crazy money,” said Ighalo. “But I don’t think it is a good league for me. It is not always about the money.” Staying put already looks a smart move.Meanwhile, Ighalo says he hopes to score for Watford to beat Arsenal tomorrow in the English Premier League.

“Our target is to try and play good football, defend well and take any opportunities that come our way to score goals. My target is to help my team play well and score goals,” Ighalo told AfricanFootball.com.

“Arsenal are doing well at the moment, so it won’t be easy, but we hope for the three points.”