Teemu Pukki has capped off a monumental start to his Premier League career by landing the PFA Fans' Player of the Month award for August.
Norwich City’s Finnish striker played a pivotal part in his club’s close-fought promotion to the big time when they beat Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United to the Championship title in May and has set the Premier League alight in the last few weeks.
Pukki was in illustrious company on the shortlist for August’s award, with Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling the main competition after Manchester City’s unbeaten start to the season
It was actually Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings who was Pukki’s closest challenger in the voting but the Finn saw off all-comers to scoop the prize.
Dream start
Arriving in East Anglia in June 2018 from Danish team Brøndby, Pukki’s record for his debut campaign in England read 29 goals in 43 league games, and 30 in 46 across across all competitions.
His start to the season has been equally impressive, joining one-time Fulham goal-getter Pavel Pogrebnyak in becoming only the second player to notch five goals in his first three appearances in the Premier League.
History maker
He also joined the Canaries hall of fame with his hat-trick against Newcastle United, the first by a player in the iconic yellow shirt in 26 years.
Efan Ekoku was the last Norwich City player to net three times in the same game in the Premier League for the club since 1993 with the Nigerian achieving this feat against Everton in a 5-1 victory in September 1993.
Star performers
Players from five different clubs were in the running for the award, which is voted for online by football fans, with reigning Champions Manchester City represented twice through De Bruyne and Sterling.
Sterling in particular has picked up where he left off in City’s domestic treble winning season, with five goals already this term.
De Bruyne has been his all-action self and got his first goal of the season in City’s 4-0 rout of Brighton & Hove Albion at the weekend.
Unanimous verdict
However, this was Pukki’s time for glory as he received a strong show of support with 54% of the vote to take the prize back to Carrow Road and further demonstrate his elevation in the game.
Defender Mings (18%) was his next closest competitor after helping Aston Villa to their first win back in the Premier League against Everton in their third fixture.
Chelsea’s Mason Mount was in third after polling 12% following two goals in his first four matches back at the Stamford Bridge outfit.
The ever-reliable Ashley Barnes was also in contention after four goals in as many games for Burnley that prompted unheralded shouts for an England call-up.
Pukki is no stranger to personal accolades having won the Norwich City Player of the Year Award earlier this year following their promotion.