Eight young players have been nominated for the Premier League 2 (PL2) Player of the Month award for January.
The nominees have been selected by the Premier League Football Development Panel, who will also decide the winner, with the result being announced later this week.
| Player | Club | Age | Pos. | G | A | CS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dom Ballard | SOU | 19 | FWD | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Cameron Bragg | SOU | 19 | MID | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Harry Evans | DER | 20 | GKP | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Jimmy-Jay Morgan | CHE | 19 | FWD | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Aaron Loupalo-Bi | FUL | 19 | FWD | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Sam Mather | MUN | 20 | MID | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Donnell McNeilly | CHE | 19 | FWD | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Lewis Payne | SOU | 20 | DEF | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Why the players were nominated
Dom Ballard (Southampton): The prolific forward enjoyed an outstanding month, netting a hat-trick in Southampton’s 5-0 thrashing of Fulham. He followed that up with a goal and two assists in Saints’ 4-2 victory over Newcastle United.
Cameron Bragg (Southampton): Back from a loan spell at Crawley Town, the 19-year-old midfielder made an immediate impact, registering an assist in Southampton’s five-goal win over Fulham before setting up the opener in their 2-0 triumph at Chelsea.
Harry Evans (Derby): Goalkeeper Evans, 20, provided an unbeatable last line of defence in January, keeping two clean sheets in Derby’s 1-0 win over Reading and their goalless home draw with Blackburn Rovers.
Jimmy-Jay Morgan (Chelsea): One of the PL2’s most in-form forwards, Morgan has eight goals in 11 appearances this season. He found the net in Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Reading before scoring twice and providing two assists in a 4-2 victory at Nottingham Forest.
Aaron Loupalo-Bi (Fulham): Fulham are enjoying an excellent campaign, sitting second in the PL2 table behind Manchester City on goal difference. The 19-year-old striker was instrumental for the Cottagers, firing a hat-trick in a thrilling 6-3 win over Arsenal before he then scored and assisted in a 3-3 draw at Aston Villa.
Sam Mather (Man Utd): Mather was a key figure in Manchester United’s back-to-back wins. His brace against Villa - a direct free-kick and penalty - sealed a 2-1 victory before netting the only goal in United's success against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Donnell McNeilly (Chelsea): The young forward was a difference-maker for Chelsea in January, scoring from a corner in their 3-0 win over Reading. He then netted twice in the second half in the 4-2 comeback win against Nottingham Forest - first, an equaliser before sealing victory with the fourth goal.
Lewis Payne (Southampton): An unbeaten month saw Southampton win all three of their matches, and the 20-year-old full-back played a key role by providing assists in victories over Newcastle and Chelsea.
2024/25 PL2 award winners
August: Nathan Butler-Oyedeji (Arsenal)
September: Farid Alfa-Ruprecht (Man City)
October: Kiano Dyer (Chelsea)
November: Callum Osmand (Fulham)
December: Harry Howell (Brighton)
