USMNT centre-back Chris Richards continues his rise to the Premier League after being voted Crystal Palace’s Player of the Month for January.
Promising United States centre-back Chris Richards has continued his rapid rise in the Premier League by winning the Crystal Palace Player of the Month award for January.
Richards, 22, joined the Eagles in the summer of 2022 but had struggled for a starting spot in the first half of this season.
He also missed the World Cup in Qatar through injury, and looked to be in disarray in south London until Joachim Andersen’s injury earlier this month.
Chris Richards (right) leaves the field after Crystal Palace’s draw against Manchester United
Richards (right) has shone for the Eagles after earning a place in the starting XI
Richards was then given the chance to prove himself as the heart of the defense and quickly shone, starting against Manchester United and Newcastle in Palace’s last two games.
Despite appearing in only two of the team’s five games, he has been awarded Player of the Month, playing 90 minutes in both games, which ended in draws.
Speaking on Palace TV about the award, he said: “My first two starts this month, it means a lot for the fans to vote me Player of the Month.
“I was a bit nervous about my first start against a team like Man Utd in the form they are in but I think I did really well and held on.
Richards now hopes his good club form will help him earn a spot in the USMNT’s starting XI
‘It’s good to learn from it [Marc Guehi], even though we are the same age, he seems to have a lot of experience. It’s good to learn from him and play alongside him and fuse our relationship.
‘[The Premier League is] competitive Each team has the best players, bottom of the league or first. It’s just about bringing our A game every time and being focused for 90+ [minutes].’
Richards took 53.9 per cent of the vote and secured victory ahead of Michael Olise, despite the youngster’s last-minute equalizer against United.
The Alabama-born defender now hopes to keep his place in the Palace defense and earn a starting spot for the USMNT in the coming months.
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Source: USMNT center back Chris Richards is voted Crystal Palace’s Player of the Month for January
