The shortlist for the Premier League Player of the Month award for April has been revealed.
League leaders Manchester City and third-placed Newcastle United are the joint-most represented clubs on the shortlist, boasting two nominees each.
Liverpool, Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, and Aston Villa also have one candidate.
The winner is expected to be announced on Friday, May 12. Supporters can cast their votes here.
Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City
Games: 4
Goals: 3
Assists: 4
Rather incredibly, Kevin De Bruyne has never won the Player of the Month award. He has the opportunity to claim his first this month after a sensational showing in April.
The Belgian kicked off the month with a brilliant display at home to Liverpool. He struck early in the second half to put his side ahead and later registered an assist for Jack Grealish to make it 4-1.
He continued to be influential in the next two games, setting up Erling Haaland in victories against Southampton and Leicester City.
But it was in his final game of April that he really shone. Up against title rivals Arsenal, De Bruyne scored twice and assisted one in a 4-1 rout, helping his side take control as they pursue a seventh Premier League trophy.
Diogo Jota – Liverpool
Games: 7
Goals: 5
Assists: 2
At the beginning of April, it had been almost a year since Diogo Jota’s last league goal. But he’s recaptured his finishing touch and is now at his prolific best.
He started with an assist for Mohamed Salah at the Etihad Stadium and soon followed this up with a brace and an assist in the 6-1 thumping of Leeds United.
The Portuguese continued to be influential, scoring twice in a 3-2 home win over Nottingham Forest.
Jota’s personal highlight of the month came in his side’s final game of April. After Liverpool let a three-goal lead slip at home to Tottenham Hotspur, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers man clinically found the far corner to restore the Reds’ advantage in injury time.
Eberechi Eze – Crystal Palace
Games: 6
Goals: 4
Assists: 0
The return of Roy Hodgson has sparked a revival at Crystal Palace, and Eberechi Eze has been one of the key figures in their recent form.
The former Queens Park Rangers midfielder has dazzled at the heart of the Eagles’ side as they pulled themselves away from relegation danger.
He scored the third in his team’s 5-1 win at Elland Road, before striking a double away at Southampton. His fourth and final goal of the month came at home to West Ham United, finding the bottom corner from the penalty spot.
Erling Braut Haaland – Manchester City
Games: 4
Goals: 6
Assists: 2
Surprise, surprise – Erling Braut Haaland is back in the running for Player of the Month. It’s been a historic April for the forward, surpassing the record for most goals in a single Premier League season.
The Norwegian started with two goals away to Southampton, including a stunning acrobatic effort in the second half. He followed this up with a first-half brace at home to Leicester City in a comfortable victory.
In arguably the biggest league game of the season, Haaland was a standout. He dominated Arsenal’s backline, assisting De Bruyne twice before grabbing one for himself in injury time.
And just for good measure, he added another at Craven Cottage, striking early from the penalty spot.
Alexander Isak – Newcastle United
Games: 7
Goals: 4
Assists: 1
Six wins from seven have almost guaranteed a Champions League place for Newcastle United, and the form of Alexander Isak has been a huge bonus.
His first goal of the month came away to West Ham United, and his second was a stunning winner against Brentford.
Not long afterwards, he bagged twice in the Magpies’ 6-1 humiliation of Tottenham Hotspur at St James’ Park.
After this, he turned creator as Newcastle picked up a further six points. His sensational solo run against Everton attracted plenty of attention worldwide, and his assist against Southampton helped his side come from behind to win.
Dominic Solanke – Bournemouth
Games: 7
Goals: 3
Assists: 3
At the start of the season, many people predicted Bournemouth for relegation. Now, with four games left, they look almost certain to survive.
Dominic Solanke has the chance to become the Cherries’ first-ever Player of the Month winner off the back of a strong showing in April.
It began at home to fellow newly-promoted club Fulham, scoring the winner with ten minutes remaining.
Two weeks later, he was the standout in one of the games of the season. Gary O’Neil’s men picked up a surprise 3-2 victory away to Tottenham Hotspur, with Solanke scoring one and setting up the other two.
Bournemouth’s final two games of the month came against relegation rivals Southampton and Leeds United, and the Englishman was once again influential. He assisted the winner against the Saints and scored against Leeds.
Ollie Watkins – Aston Villa
Games: 7
Goals: 5
Assists: 1
Since the turn of the year, Ollie Watkins has been one of the Premier League’s most lethal strikers. April was another strong month for the England international, adding another five to his personal tally.
He began with a first-half finish at Stamford Bridge in a 2-0 win and continued this form with goals against Leicester City and Nottingham Forest.
Watkins’ best performance of the month came at home to Newcastle. He set up Jacob Ramsey for an early opener before hitting two in the second half to seal an emphatic 3-0 win.
Callum Wilson – Newcastle United
Games: 7
Goals: 8
Assists: 1
The final player on the shortlist is Newcastle striker Callum Wilson. The 31-year-old was April’s top scorer with an impressive eight in seven outings.
The forward opened his account for the month with a late second at home to Manchester United before adding two more to his collection away to West Ham. This was soon proceeded by an assist for Isak’s winner against Brentford.
He fired a blank against Villa but made up for this with five in his next three. He came off the bench to score against Tottenham and hit back-to-back braces in victories against strugglers Everton and Southampton.
