Antoine Semenyo's remarkable mid-season explosion of form continues with the Bristol City nominated for the Championship Player of the Month award for January.
Semenyo marked the accolade with his fifth goal of the season as the Robins edged past Reading at Ashton Gate, with the 22-year-old named alongside Blackpool goalkeeper Daniel Grimshaw, QPR midfielder Chris Willock and Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.
If he were to win, with the winner announced on Friday, he would become City's first recipient of the award from since Aden Flint in September 2017.
It's been a remarkable rise for Semenyo who only made his first Championship start of the season on December 4 after being plagued with knee trouble having undergone an operation in May.
The City academy product, via SGS College, now has five goals and six assists in 17 appearances this season and that form has also earned him international attention with Semenyo set to declare for Ghana ahead of their World Cup qualifying play-off against Nigeria next month.
Speaking outside the Ashton Gate tunnel, he didn't want to be drawn on his international ambitions but did welcome news of his EFL recognition with a now customary broad smile.
"That's a big accolade," Semenyo said. "I've picked up a bit of form and I just need to continue, kick on, try and get more goals and assists and do my job."
Semenyo's fifth seemed a relatively straightforward tap-in, as Andi Weimann had the presence of mind to square the ball after being first denied by Reading goalkeeper Karl Hein but also further revealed his transformation this season.
With Nigel Pearson's faith of placing him in a central role, Semenyo is able to take up such penalty box positions, putting him in place to capitalise on such situations and produce those type of relatively straightforward finishes.
"Working on my game as a striker was the main thing," he added. "Shooting and finishing, those kind of things I really worked on that and it's out on the pitch now.
"We're working hard as a group - me, Chrissy and Andi - and we're clicking really well. Andi and Chrissy make it really easy for me and I can't complain.
"It's a confidence thing, the manager has given me a lot of confidence and made me think, 'look if I can do what I do in training in games, then I can be a really tough opponent'."
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