Opta Player of the Month

The first month of the 2005-06 Premiership campaign has been completed, and while the goals have not been flowing as readily as in previous seasons, there have still been plenty of players at the top of their game.

Opta's player of the month is Charlton Athletic's Danny Murphy, a man who was surely disappointed to be left out of the England squad for the games against Wales and Northern Ireland. The cerebral schemer has started the new season in blistering fashion, scoring a tidy goal at Sunderland, creating three goals in three games and propelling the south-east London side to their best ever start in the Premiership. Murphy has been hailed by his manager as one of the finest attacking midfielders in the top-flight and recent weeks seem to confirm this.

Second best player of August is Darren Bent, the man who has been on the end of so many of Murphy's cunning balls. Bent was a shrewd buy and he has taken little time to adapt to the Premiership. Four goals have taken him to the top of the scoring charts and a call-up to the England squad is testament to his impact.

Third is Thierry Henry, a man who is no stranger to Premiership success. The French striker has already stroked home three goals in three games as he bids to once again win the English Golden Boot. He is now just two goals short of breaking Ian Wright's all-time Arsenal goalscoring record and there is no question that it will be surpassed very soon.

Fourth and fifth in August are Chelsea's Asier Del Horno and Fulham goalkeeper Tony Warner. Both are new signings and while the former has taken little time to settle into the champions' honed squad, the latter has coped well with the considerable task of filling Edwin van der Sar's gloves. Warner, on loan from Cardiff, has made 20 saves already this season, more than any other 'keeper, and the cynics will suggest that he will have plenty more work to do before the season is completed.

Opta Player of the Month - August	 	 	 
Player	Club	Opta Index	Time Played
Danny Murphy	Charlton Athletic	1750	265
Darren Bent	Charlton Athletic	1537	270
Thierry Henry	Arsenal	1519	270
Asier Del Horno	Chelsea	1488	360
Tony Warner	Fulham	1463	360