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Middlesbrough recognition and surprise omission in Championship award nominations

Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath <i>(Image: Tom Banks)</i>
Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath (Image: Tom Banks)

MIDDLESBROUGH striker Emmanuel Latte Lath has been recognised for his blistering recent form with a nomination for the Championship's Player of the Month award for April.

The Ivorian striker was on fire last month, scoring seven goals in six games - half of Boro's overall April tally of 14.

He fired both goals in the win over Swansea, was on target in the draws at Hull and Ipswich, hit a double against Leeds and continued his run with a fine strike in the 4-1 success at Cardiff last time out.

Latte Lath is up against Che Adams, who hit six goals in six games for Southampton last month, Hull City's Liverpool loanee Fabio Carvalho, who scored five goals and added two assists in seven April outings and Bristol City's young defender Haydon Roberts, who impressed as the Robins conceded just two goals in six games.

The judging panel, which comprises of Sky Sports’ EFL expert Don Goodman, EFL Chief Executive Trevor Birch and Sky Bet EFL trader Ivor Davies, will consider the nominees before the winner is announced on Friday morning.

Just eight Championship players have scored more league goals this season than Latte Lath, who has enjoyed an extremely encouraging first campaign at Boro after his summer move from Atalanta.

He's scored 15 league goals and added two more in the Carabao Cup, his tally all the more impressive considering he missed almost two months of action at the turn of the year through injury.

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While Latte Lath was deservedly included among the Player of the Month nominees, head coach Michael Carrick isn't in the running for the manager prize, which is slightly surprising given Boro's recent form.

Boro won three of their six Championship games last month, as well as picking up credible points at Hull and Ipswich. The 4-3 loss to Leeds was their only April defeat.

But Carrick has been overlooked, with Millwall boss Neil Harris, Leicester's Enzo Maresca, Sheffield Wednesday head coach Danny Rohl and Hull's Liam Rosenior instead nominated.

Millwall started April with successive defeats but bounced back with four straight wins to secure safety. Leicester also suffered two defeats last month but won their other five games to win the Championship title with a game to spare.

Rohl has worked wonders at Wednesday since his October appointment and the Owls are on the brink of safety after picking up 11 points from six games last month.

Hull, meanwhile, bounced back from their defeat at Leeds at the start of April with a six-game unbeaten run. But the Tigers might still come up short in their bid to reach the top six. They need to win at Plymouth on Saturday and hope West Brom lose to Preston.