Southampton have stood out as a very entertaining team to watch in the Championship this season.
Indeed, they have scored a weighty 14 goals from just six encounters, with West Ham United the only other team in the entire division to be joint with the South Coast giants on the same tally.
Of course, a large chunk of those have come about on home soil at St. Mary's, with 11 goals put away for fun against Stoke City, Millwall, and Swansea City in quick succession. Will Bristol City be the next side to feel Tonda Eckert and Co's wrath in front of goal?
Cyle Larin will be desperate to spearhead another win against the Robins on Saturday, with the Brampton Bagsman just being recognised for his red-hot form in August with a prestigious accolade being handed his way.
Larin clinches early season award
Larin has swooped up the August Player of the Month accolade for his devastating early-season performances for Eckert's promotion contenders.
The lethal 31-year-old has five goals already this campaign, from just six Championship appearances, with four goals coming his way from four clashes in all competitions last month.
Two of those goals would come against Alex Neil's Lions, as the early league leaders were put to the sword by the on-fire South Coast giants, with the pick of the bunch from his August goal tally being this superbly taken volley to make it 4-1 against the shellshocked visitors.
Magical ✨
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) September 11, 2026
That Cyle Larin strike is up for @SkyBetChamp Goal of the Month 👏 pic.twitter.com/75amV7VJHg
This memorable effort could see him become a double award winner, as the volley is up for the goal of the month contest.
He is up against some stern competition, though, such as Dom Ballard - who used to line up for the Saints - who flicked home an audacious effort against Birmingham City in late August. Will he have another magical strike up his sleeve when he returns to St. Mary's with the Robins on Saturday?
Away from the battle between Larin and Ballard that could decide tomorrow's clash, the EFL have, by handing the one-time Orlando City attacker this award, thrown their hat into the ring regarding another striker conversation.
The EFL have thrown their hat into the ring over this debate
Whether it was intentional or not, the EFL judging panel have accidentally picked their horse in the ongoing debate raging throuhg the Championship, by handing Larin this honour.
Indeed, Eckert has been vocal in labelling the potent number nine as the second tier's best striker overall, and Larin now has an esteemed prize to back it up.
Middlesbrough fans will believe that Will Lankshear should have been handed the monthly award, over the 31-year-old, with the ex-Tottenham Hotspur striker scoring two blistering braces in August to push Boro over the line to various victories.
Larin vs Lankshear in August (just league matches):
Stat | Larin | Lankshear |
|---|---|---|
Games played | 3 | 3 |
Minutes played | 218 mins | 266 mins |
Goals | 4 | 4 |
In the end, though, Larin has been given the nod over the exciting 21-year-old, who will be desperate to score against Norwich City tomorrow, in what should be an enthralling clash near the top of the competitive division.
This is unlikely the only time these two striker heavyweights will go head to head this season, with both the Boro number seven, and his Canadian counterpart, also locked into the golden boot race, you imagine.
On this occasion, Larin has just snuck ahead in the debate of who is the most frightening Championship striker to contain, with the experienced marksman ready to bag even more goals in September, having scored last time out against Swansea to keep his ridiculous form flowing.
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