FIFA 19: January Premier League Player of the Month Prediction (POTM)

January has final come to an end. What seems like the longest month of the year produced plenty of action in England, with four sets of Premier League fixtures, two rounds of the FA Cup as well as both legs of the EFL Cup semi-finals. With so much action, top-flight sides had to rotate their squads to keep them fresh, meaning there is no stand out candidate for who will pick up the Premier League’s Player of the Month award. 

EA will put forward some players for a public vote, with the eventual winner not only claiming the prize but also receiving a boosted Player of the Month card on FIFA 19’s Ultimate Team. This card can only be unlocked through Squad Building Challenges (SBCs) making them very difficult and expensive to get hold. 

RealSport looks at the contenders from a very long January. 

Marcus Rashford (OVR 81 – POTM 87)

The front runner this month looks to be Marcus Rashford, with the forward seeming to be the chosen striker for interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Manchester United. The 21-year-old scored three goals, and in three straight games, as the Red Devils marched back into the top four race. Rashford scored in the victories against Newcastle, Tottenham and Brighton, playing all but three minutes in their four January matches. 

Rashford’s 81 overall rating should improve to 87 on Ultimate Team if he wins the award, and his position is likely to move from left wing to striker. His base card costs 2,500 coins on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with his 82 Champions League card worth 29,750 on PS4 and 37,500 on Xbox One. An 84 in-form card from TOTW 16 is priced at 120,000 on PS4 and 132,000 on Xbox One. 

Alexandre Lacazette (OVR 84 – POTM 88)

Alexandre Lacazette also bagged three goals in January, with Arsenal defeating Fulham (4-1), Chelsea (2-0) and Cardiff (2-1). Those results have seen the Gunners fight back in the race for Champions League football, and they now sit fourth in the table, ahead of Chelsea and Manchester United. As for Lacazette, he now has nine goals and six assists in the Premier League alone, forming a deadly strike partnership with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. 

Lacazette’s 84 overall rating could rise to around 88 if he picks up the POTM award, and you can pick up his base card for a bargain price of 4,500 coins on PS4 and 4,700 on Xbox One. An 86 in-form card will set you back 201,000 coins on PS4 and 206,000 on Xbox One. 

Joshua King (OVR 78 – POTM 85)

There was transfer speculation over Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson this month, but Joshua King was the Cherries main man in January. The Norwegian international scored three goals in four games as Eddie Howe’s side bounced back from a four match winless run to defeat West Ham (2-0) and a crazy 4-0 victory over Chelsea. King netted against the Hammers before a brace and an assist against fifth-placed Chelsea. 

King’s goals could see his 78 overall hit the dizzy heights of 85, with his current card valued at 700 coins on both consoles. The centre forward’s 82 in-form from TOTW 27 is available for 25,250 on PS4 and 28,250 on Xbox One. 

Diogo Jota (OVR 78 – POTM 84)

Diogo Jota came back from injury firing in January, with the Wolves man smashing a hat trick in the 4-3 victory over Leicester. Moved forward from his usual left-wing position, Jota then notched an assist in the 3-0 victory over West Ham, seeing the midlands club remain the best side in the Premier League outside of the top six. If both domestic cups are lifted by teams above them, Wolves could sneak a European place at the end of the season.

Jota’s 78 overall should rise to around 84 if he claimed a shock POTM award, and his position would move from left wing to striker. His base card is worth 500 coins on both consoles with an 82 ST in-form from TOTW 19 setting you back 20,000 on both consoles. 

James Ward-Prowse (OVR 77 – POTM 83)

A surprise contender, but James Ward-Prowse has typified Southampton’s Premier League resurgence under new manager Ralph Hasenhuttl. Saints went undefeated over January, with draws to Chelsea (0-0) and Crystal Palace (1-1) and surprise victories against Leicester and Everton (both 2-1). Ward-Prowse, playing as a central midfielder, scored in three successive games to finish the month and put the St Mary’s outfit four points above the relegation zone. 

Ward-Prowse would rise from 77 to around 83 if he claimed the POTM prize, with his position moving inside from right to central midfield. His base card costs just 550 coins on PS4 and 600 on Xbox One in Ultimate Team.