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Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane has been named the Premier League's Player of the Month for a sixth time, equalling the record set by Steven Gerrard. Kane scored eight league goals in December, including a brace against Stoke and hat tricks in wins against Burnley and Southampton, to break Alan Shearer's Premier League record for goals in a calendar year (39) and overtake Barcelona's Lionel Messi for the most goals for club and country by any player in Europe's major leagues in 2017 (56). The 24-year-old said of matching former Liverpool and England captain Gerrard's haul: "It's amazing, very proud of that. "I'd probably say my favourite goal was the one that broke the [calendar year] record against Southampton. "Obviously there's a lot of talk before the game about whether I'd do it or not so to get that goal early on in the game as well, it was a great achievement." Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was named the Premier League Manager of the Month for December to become the first coach ever to win the award four months in a row. Jermain Defoe picked up the Goal of the Month award for his effort during Bournemouth's 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace. Defoe, 35, said his strike against Palace ranked alongside his best efforts. "It was instinctive and to be honest I don't know why I shot from there," he said. "I had a little glimpse of the goalkeeper just out of position and I wanted to direct it back across goal. "Sometimes you try things and they come off. I was surprised myself. It's up there as one of my best goals."
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