In-form Chris Wood ‘over the moon’ after winning Premier League player of the month award

Saturday, 9 November 2024

All Whites captain Chris Wood has created history by becoming the first New Zealander to win the Premier League’s player of the month award.

The Nottingham Forest striker won the award for October after finding the back of the net in all three games he played to help his club go unbeaten for the month.

Wood scored four goals in three games as Forest drew against Chelsea and beat both Crystal Palace and Leicester City.

Wood topped an eight-man short-list after the public's votes on the EA Sports website were combined with those of a panel of football experts.

He is also the first Forest player to win the award. Forest manager Nuno Espírito Santo scooped the manager of the month award.

“I'm over the moon with it. It's a fantastic achievement,” Wood said.

“It's a credit to all of us and how the team's working. I couldn't have done it without them.

“They supply me with all the chances, so it's nice that I've been able to tuck them away for them.”

Wood picked up where he left off in October, scoring the opening goal in a 3-0 win over West Ham that lifted Forest to third on the Premier League table in his only appearance in November so far.

He now sits second, three goals behind Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland, on the Premier League’s golden boot chart with eight goals from 10 appearances.

Wood will have a chance to create further history when Forest play his former club Newcastle United on Monday (NZT).

The 32-year-old has never scored in five consecutive Premier League matches.

It will be Wood’s last appearance for Forest before returning to New Zealand to link up with the All Whites for their World Cup qualifiers against Vanuatu and Samoa in Hamilton and Auckland on November 15 and 18.