The Premier League published the list of candidates for the Player of the Month and Manager of the Month awards for August 2026 on Thursday.
Among the nominees for Player of the Month were Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United, Riccardo Calafiori of Arsenal, Ryan Cherki, Cole Palmer, and Joao Pedro of Chelsea, Mamadou Sangare of Brentford, Konstantinos Tzolakis of Hull City, and Joan Vissa of Newcastle United. These players were recognized for their impressive performances in the first two matches of the 2026-27 season.
Regarding the manager awards, Mikel Arteta (Arsenal), Xabi Alonso (Chelsea), Enzo Maresca (Manchester City), and Sergey Yakirovich (Hull City) have been nominated.
Fernandes of Manchester United has established himself as one of the best players at the start of the season. In the second match against Ipswich Town, he scored a hat-trick and provided an assist, leading to a 5-2 victory at Old Trafford. He scored a hat-trick within 28 minutes and helped Bryan Mbeumo score a goal in the 82nd minute.
Riccardo Calafiori also demonstrated outstanding play. The left-back actively attacked in the covering zone, providing two assists and showing strong defensive play. He helped Kai Havertz score in the 3-0 match against Coventry, and later provided another assist for Bukayo Saka in the 1-0 win over Aston Villa.
Attacking midfielder Ryan Cherki attracted fans' attention with two goals and two assists for City early in the season. He helped the team get back into the game in the match against AFC Bournemouth by providing two assists, and then scored two goals in the game against Crystal Palace.
Cole Palmer, Chelsea's playmaker, also impressed at the beginning of the campaign. He scored two goals and provided one assist, helping Chelsea win both matches. He scored one goal in the games against Brighton and Fulham, and also provided an assist against Cottagers.
Chelsea forward Joao Pedro also scored twice and provided two assists this season. He scored in the first minute of the match against Fulham, after which he passed to Palmer. Additionally, he scored one goal and provided an assist in the match against Brighton, his former club.
Hull City goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis made numerous saves this season and helped his team win both matches. He kept a clean sheet in both games, making five saves in the historic victory over Manchester United and keeping a clean sheet in the match against Coventry.
Mamadou Sangare has become a dominant figure in the midfield of Brentford this season, providing one assist and making an important contribution to defense. Joan Vissa started the season multifunctionally for Newcastle United, scoring one goal and providing one assist, successfully adapting to No. 10 and striker roles.