Thiago has excelled on the pitch since the summer departures of Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, and he credits winning the award to his hard work behind the scenes.

"This award means a lot to me," Thiago said. "It shows that my efforts on the pitch are paying off, and I'm happy to receive this recognition."

Thiago added two goals in the 3-1 home win against Burnley, bringing his Premier League total for the season to 11. He will face Leeds United next, aiming to close the gap with top scorer Erling Haaland.