Kolkata, Jan 6 (IANS): East Bengal FC midfielder P.V. Vishnu has been named the Emerging Player of the Month for December 2024, recognizing his outstanding performances, which included two goals and one assist.

Among the 15 experts, the majority voted for Vishnu, making him the first East Bengal FC player to win the Emerging Player of the Month award this season. Eight experts placed Vishnu as their top choice, three ranked him second, and one ranked him third. He edged out NorthEast United FC’s Macarton Louis Nickson and FC Goa’s Brison Fernandes, who finished second and third, respectively.

Vishnu appeared in all five matches for the Red and Gold brigade in December, starting four and coming on as a substitute against Punjab FC. In that game, he played a pivotal role in their remarkable 4-2 comeback win, overturning a two-goal deficit at halftime. Vishnu contributed a goal and an assist in that match.

His other goal came in a 2-0 away victory at the Marina Arena, where he opened the scoring with a close-range finish from a Saul Crespo cross before Jeakson Singh added the second.

Vishnu’s exceptional ball control and smooth touches were evident throughout December. Under Oscar Bruzon’s guidance, he played a pivotal role in helping East Bengal FC secure ten points from a possible 15 in December, as the team worked to recover from a tough start to the campaign. The 23-year-old completed 77 passes with a success rate of 71.43% and attempted 17 dribbles, achieving a success rate of 41.18%.