Championship Team of the Month for January: Teemu Pukki, Josh Sargent, Ian Maatsen included | Football News

The festive period is well and truly over, but the games just do not stop coming. With the conclusion of January, WhoScored.com delve into its first Championship Team of the Month of 2023.

Burnley, Norwich, Sheffield United and Rotherham all have two players in the XI, with Preston and Wigan also represented.

Goalkeeper: Viktor Johansson (Rotherham) – 7.23

The Rotherham shot-stopper kept two clean sheets in his three Championship fixtures in January, and in that time no goalkeeper in the league made more than his 16 saves. His solid form sees him between the sticks in the Team of the Month with a WhoScored.com rating of 7.23.

Right-back: Alan Browne (Preston North End) – 7.45

Alan Browne was the only player in the league to put in two Man of the Match performances in January and completes the month with a WhoScored.com rating of 7.45. The Irishman got himself on the scoresheet against Birmingham in Preston’s 2-1 win at St. Andrews and assisted Ched Evans’ injury-time winner against Stoke.

Centre-back: Jordan Beyer (Burnley) – 7.58

The first of two Burnley defenders to make the grade, Jordan Beyer has been a key player throughout January, a month that saw Vincent Kompany’s men go unbeaten. He scored the only goal in Burnley’s trip to Coventry making him well worthy of a spot. Beyer was very composed on the ball throughout the month, successfully completing 90 per cent of his attempted passes in January.

Centre-back: John Egan (Sheffield United) – 7.42

John Egan makes an appearance in the January Team of the Month with a WhoScored.com rating of 7.42. The Sheffield United defender was in the right place at the right time, making 22 clearances in January, an important contribution to the Blades’ unbeaten month. He also scored a 95th-minute equaliser against QPR, snatching Sheffield United a valuable point on the road.

Left-back: Ian Maatsen (Burnley) – 7.73

Completing the four-man defence is Ian Maatsen, who recorded a WhoScored rating of 7.73 in the month. He was a force to be reckoned with at the back for Burnley in January making 12 tackles in his three Championship appearances. The 20-year-old also scored both goals in Burnley’s win at Swansea and is well deserving of his place in the team.

Central midfield: Josh Sargent (Norwich) – 7.43

The USA international makes the side after he returned a WhoScored.com rating for the month of 7.43. The exciting youngster scored the third goal in Norwich’s away win at Coventry and has now contributed 25 per cent of Norwich’s goals scored so far this season, with 10.

Central midfield: Oliver Norwood (Sheffield United) – 7.52

Oliver Norwood was another consistent performer in January scoring one goal and generating a WhoScored.com rating of 7.52. The midfielder won a total of six 50/50s in the month, ranking third in the league.

Central midfield: Hakeem Odoffin (Rotherham) – 7.44

The Rotherham midfielder was on target for his first goal of the season against Blackburn in Rotherham’s 4-0 rout at Ewood Park. Hakeem Odoffin was a constant threat in the air in January winning a total of 22 aerial battles in the month, and he gets the nod with 7.44 WhoScored.com rating.

Right wing: Oliver Cooper (Swansea) – 7.30

Oliver Cooper scored two league goals in January including a consolation goal against Burnley and the third Swansea goal against 10-man Sunderland, to take his tally for the season to five. He’s in with a WhoScored.com rating of 7.30.

Striker: Teemu Pukki (Norwich) – 7.84

With a rating of 7.84, Teemu Pukki is the WhoScored.com Championship Player of the Month following his contribution, of two goals and two assists, to Norwich’s ascent. The Finland forward bagged a double and provided an assist against Preston in the Canaries’ 4-0 win at Deepdale. His second assist came against Coventry in the six-goal thriller in, which Norwich won 4-2.

Left wing: James McClean (Wigan) – 7.70

Wigan’s James McClean rounds off the Team of the Month after his successful January. McClean reinforced a statistically calculated strength of ‘dribbling’ as he made the fourth most successful dribbles in the month, with seven. He is currently Wigan’s Player of the Season and ends January with a WhoScored.com rating of 7.70.