Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and head coach Ruben Amorim headline the nominees for March’s Premier League Player and Manager of the Month awards.
The Red Devils went unbeaten in their two top-flight matches during the current month, holding title outsiders Arsenal to a 1-1 draw before strolling to a 3-0 victory over Leicester City.
Amorim’s side are still languishing in a lowly 13th place in the Premier League table and will realistically only get into Europe next season by winning the Europa League, but their March exploits have been recognised regardless.
Having seen his side collect four points from six on offer in March before the international break, Amorim is one of three head coaches to have been nominated for the Manager of the Month prize.
The Portuguese is bidding to take home the accolade for the first since arriving in England and could extend Man United’s all-time record of 31 Manager of the Month wins, seven more than second-placed Liverpool.
The Red Devils last saw one of their own clinch the honour in November 2023, when Ten Hag won his third award, while Sir Alex Ferguson collected an astounding 27 during his time at Old Trafford before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer also won the prize in January 2019.
Amorim is up against stiff competition to collect this month’s award, though, as Brighton & Hove Albion boss Fabian Hurzeler and Nottingham Forest‘s Nuno Espirito Santo are also in contention.
Santo – October and December’s winner – masterminded a fabulous 1-0 victory over Manchester City and 4-2 success over Ipswich Town in March to keep the Tricky Trees in the driving seat for Champions League football, as they remain third in the Premier League rankings.
Meanwhile, Hurzeler’s Brighton edged out Fulham 2-1 and drew 2-2 with champions Man City in March to keep their own European dreams alive, and the Seagulls boss is out to win the accolade for the second time after clinching the August honour.
Fernandes up against Arsenal star for POTM award
When Ten Hag won the Manager of the Month title in November 2023, fellow Red Devil Harry Maguire was named the Player of the Month, and the club could now complete another one-two for the March 2025 awards.
Fernandes leads the way in the six-strong player category after producing two goals and two assists in two matches, following up a brilliant free kick against Arsenal with one strike and two helpers at Leicester.
The Portuguese’s contributions in the latter game saw him reach 50 assists in the Premier League, becoming just the sixth Man United player to hit the half-century mark after Ryan Giggs (162), Wayne Rooney (93), David Beckham (80), Paul Scholes (55) and Eric Cantona (51).
Fernandes has already won four Premier League Player of the Month prizes – all of which came in 2020 – and the ex-Sporting Lisbon star could now equal Rooney’s total of five should he take home the March honour.
Arsenal’s Declan Rice – who equalised in that aforementioned draw at Old Trafford – is another shortlisted candidate, as are Nottingham Forest’s Nikola Milenkovic and Anthony Elanga, Brighton & Hove Albion’s Jan Paul van Hecke and Wolverhampton Wanderers‘ Jean-Ricner Bellegarde.
