Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez’s stunning stop to deny Aston Villa forward Nicolo Zaniolo has been named the Premier League Save of the Month for September.
The save was made after a Villa set-piece during the two teams’ meeting last month at Stamford Bridge. Midfielder Boubacar Kamara headed a Villa corner back into danger and found Zaniolo eight yards out.
The Blues feared the worst but Sanchez was equal to the effort, brilliantly tipping Zaniolo’s powerful close-range volley over the bar.
Sanchez overcame competition from five other Premier League goalkeepers to win the honour, which is awarded after a public vote.
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“It was a game with a lot of saves in it,” Chelsea website quoted Sanchez to have said on receiving the prize at Cobham this week.
“I did a similar save five minutes before that one, left-footer, volley, so I was getting ready for a similar shot. There were a lot of bodies in the way as well, so I just got ready, tried to see the ball and react to it.
‘It’s a personal trophy, it’s an amazing feeling, but now it’s time to get some team awards as well,’ added Sanchez.
Sanchez has enjoyed a promising start to his Chelsea career with four clean sheets in his first 10 appearances for the Blues, and this award is another feather in his cap.