RONALDO BAGS PLAYER OF THE MONTH AWARD FOR APRIL 2022

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the Player of the Month for April 2022, earning the prize for the second time this season.

Overall it is Ronaldo’s sixth Player of the Month award, moving him to within one of the record jointly held by Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero. It comes after a month in which the Manchester United forward scored his 100th Premier League goal, in a 3-1 defeat at Arsenal, while he also registered his 50th club hat-trick in a 3-2 win over Norwich City

Ronaldo ended April with his fifth goal of the month, equalising to earn a 1-1 draw with Chelsea.

The 37-year-old topped an eight-man shortlist that also featured Nathan Collins, Kevin De Bruyne, Bruno Guimaraes, Gabriel Jesus, Son Heung-min, Thiago and Leandro Trossard.

Meanwhile, Chelsea on Wednesday won 3-0 at Elland Road, tightening their grip on third place and damaging Leeds United’s hopes of staying in the Premier League.

Chelsea went ahead in the fourth minute when Reece James teed up Mount to curl a superb first-time effort into the top corner. Leeds were reduced to 10 men on 24 minutes as Daniel James received a straight red card for a challenge on Mateo Kovacic, who limped off shortly after. Chelsea doubled their advantage 10 minutes after the break through Christian Pulisic, who controlled Mount’s clever flick before drilling his strike into the bottom corner.

With seven minutes remaining, substitute Hakim Ziyech squared to Romelu Lukaku, who fired in for his third goal in two matches. Chelsea now have 70 points, four more than fourth-placed Arsenal, although the Gunners have a match in hand. Elsewhere, Everton edged a point closer to safety with a goalless draw at relegated Watford. Frank Lampard’s side remain 16th but are now two points above the relegation zone, after 18th-placed Leeds United lost 3-0 to Chelsea.