Player of the Month: Pontus Jansson (Leeds United)

Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

Swedish centre-back Jansson has excelled in his first season with Leeds United after they loaned him from Torino in the summer and played a key role in their impressive defence during December.

The Whites picked up four wins and a draw from six league games and kept three clean sheets, with Jansson being pivotal to that – he even chipped in with a goal in the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.

Manager of the Month: Chris Hughton (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Photo: Mark Leech / Offside.

Hughton was controversially sacked by Newcastle United after guiding them back into the Premier League, but now, surely has a wry smile on his face as his Brighton team sit just ahead of the Magpie’s in this season’s hunt for promotion to the top-flight.

The Seagulls opened the month with a draw against struggling Cardiff City, but a win over fellow promotion hopefuls Leeds United kick-started a run that saw them win all of their final four league games in 2016.

They ended the year eight points clear of third-placed Reading and you wouldn’t bet against them clinching the Championship title come May.

Goal of the Month: Jack Grealish (ASTON VILLA v Wigan Athletic)

Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

The England Under-21 international stole the limelight at Villa Park on December 10 after netting the only goal of the game against Wigan Athletic in the 88th minute with this sublime strike…