SUNDERLAND will hope to secure an awards double after Regis Le Bris and Anthony Patterson were both shortlisted for Sky Bet monthly awards for January.
Le Bris has been nominated for the Championship Manager of the Month award after the Black Cats enjoyed a successful series of games in January.
Sunderland claimed 11 points from their five league matches last month, with their performances enabling them to remain a key part of the battle for automatic promotion.
A 2-1 victory over Sheffield United saw the Black Cats triumph over one of their direct rivals for a top-two spot, with a goalless draw at Burnley also helping to confirm their promotion credentials.
Le Bris will be hoping to win his third monthly managerial award, having previously been crowned the Manager of the Month for both August and October.
He is up against QPR boss Marti Cifuentes, whose in-form side won four of their five January matches, Cardiff manager Omer Riza, who has overseen a marked upturn in south Wales and Oxford United’s Gary Rowett, whose side were unbeaten in the league in January.
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Patterson is one of four players shortlisted for January’s Championship Player of the Month award.
The Sunderland goalkeeper kept three clean sheets in Sunderland’s five league games in January, saving a penalty in the win over Sheffield United when the game was still goalless.
He produced a brilliant one-handed stop in the goalless draw at Burnley, and impressed again in the 1-0 win over Derby at Pride Park.
Patterson was shortlisted alongside Burnley goalkeeper James Trafford, who saved two penalties in the same game from Wilson Isidor as the Clarets held Sunderland at Turf Moor.
The other two shortlisted candidates for January are Coventry City midfielder Jamie Allen and Oxford United defender Ciaron Brown.
The Manager of the Month judging panel is comprised of former Barnsley manager Danny Wilson, Sky Sports’ EFL expert Don Goodman, and Sky Bet EFL trader Ivor Davies.
Goodman and Davies form part of the panel for the Player of the Month award, along with EFL chief executive Trevor Birch.
The winners of both awards will be announced tomorrow morning.
