The Premier League Save of the Month for September is Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez’s remarkable save to deny Aston Villa attacker Nicolo Zaniolo.
The save came following a Villa set-piece during the two clubs’ clash at Stamford Bridge last month. Boubacar Kamara, a Villa midfielder, headed a Villa corner back into danger and found Zaniolo eight yards out.
The Blues feared the worst, but Sanchez rose to the occasion, magnificently diverting Zaniolo’s thunderous close-range volley over the crossbar.
Sanchez beat out five other Premier League goalkeepers to win the accolade, which is decided by a public vote.
“It was a game with a lot of saves in it,” Chelsea website quoted Sanchez to have said on receiving the prize at Cobham this week.
“I did a similar save five minutes before that one, left-footer, volley, so I was getting ready for a similar shot. There were a lot of bodies in the way as well, so I just got ready, tried to see the ball and react to it.
‘It’s a personal trophy, it’s an amazing feeling, but now it’s time to get some team awards as well,’ added Sanchez.
Sanchez has enjoyed a promising start to his Chelsea career with four clean sheets in his first 10 appearances for the Blues, and this award is another feather in his cap.