Federico Chiesa was voted Liverpool’s Standard Chartered Men’s Player of the Month for September by the club’s supporters, a result that sparked widespread discussion due to the fact that the Italian forward had played very few minutes during the period. This unusual result highlights a perfect storm of the player’s high impact performances as a substitute, his undeniable quality, and a growing undercurrent of fan frustration with the manager’s team selection. Chiesa secured 34% of the fan votes, significantly ahead of established players like goalkeeper Alisson Becker and midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, who both tied for second with 18%. The Italian commented saying “Of course, I’m glad I won this prize. Thank you to the fans for the support and for voting for me. “I would rather not get it in the future and win more games. But thank you again. “The support always has been amazing. I try to give my best on the pitch for the fans and for Liverpool. I love to see that the fans actually appreciate what I’m doing.”
Player of the Month having played 124 out of 540 possible minutes in September has to be some kind of record. What a man. https://t.co/9hXWl4U0im
— barry (@BackseatsmanLFC) October 24, 2025
The most compelling reason for Chiesa’s win was his sheer effectiveness in limited time. In the month of September, Chiesa’s contributions were a significant outlier: Chiesa registered three goal involvements across his appearances which were two assists and one goal. In his single start for the month, a Carabao Cup tie against Southampton, he was named Player of the Match after providing two vital assists in a 2-1 victory. He came off the bench in the Premier League against Crystal Palace to score a goal albeit Nkietah would score in the last minute, showcasing his ability to find the net even in a cameo role which has done many times for Liverpool this season. Data from the preceding weeks showed he was averaging a goal contribution at a phenomenal rate, demonstrating that his brief appearances were consistently transformative for the team’s attack. Essentially, while his rivals for the award accumulated minutes, Chiesa accumulated match defining moments.
The Player of the Month award is decided crucially fan votes and this vote became a powerful expression of fan opinion about the team’s overall situation. Head coach Arne Slot had consistently used Chiesa as a late substitute, despite the team experiencing a slump in form and other attackers performing below par. This had led to a perception among many fans that their most exciting and in form player was being underutilised. Most recently he came off the bench against Manchester United and set up the assist the equalizer for Cody Gakpo. By overwhelmingly voting for a player who was primarily a bench warmer, the supporters were sending a clear message to the coach that they believed Chiesa should be a regular starter. The vote was as much a reflection of the fans’ dissatisfaction with the regular starters and the current tactical setup as it was a direct tribute to Chiesa.
In summary, Chiesa won not for the volume of his play, but for the difference he brought to the pitch every single time he was introduced. The award was a reward for his game changing impact and a demonstration of the power of the fan base to highlight who they believe is making the biggest difference.
