Manchester City striker Erling Haaland and Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah are among the eight nominees for August's Premier League Player of the Month award.
Pep Guardiola's side and Arne Slot's outfit were the only teams to win their first three games of the campaign prior to the international break, and the champions sit at the summit on goal difference thanks to Haaland's record-breaking feats.
The two-time Golden Boot winner opened his account for the new season in a 2-0 win over Chelsea on the opening day, before hitting his first hat-trick of the season in a 4-1 come-from-behind win over Ipswich Town.
On the last day of the month, the former Borussia Dortmund striker notched a second successive treble in the Citizens' 3-1 beating of West Ham United, taking his total for the season to seven goals in just three appearances.
Haaland's second hat-trick of the season also saw him become just the second man - after Harry Kane - to score consecutive Premier League trebles on multiple occasions, and the Norway international seeks to win his first Player of the Month prize since April 2023.
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Arsenal duo, Chelsea star nominated for POTM prize
While Haaland did not win a single Player of the Month prize last season, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah took home the award in October 2023 and is now in with a chance of winning his sixth POTM accolade.
The Egypt international scored one and set up another in the Reds' 2-0 win over Ipswich Town on the opening weekend, before continuing his scoring streak in subsequent wins over Brentford and Manchester United.
Salah also provided two assists for Luis Diaz in the latter match before dropping a contract bombshell, revealing that the club had not begun discussions over a new deal and that he was prepared for the 2024-25 season to be his last at Anfield.
Also up for the prize are Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and David Raya, the former of whom has already scored once and provided three assists this season, while the latter kept clean sheets against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa, making a wonder save from Ollie Watkins in the 2-0 win over the Lions.
Saka's tally of three assists is slightly inferior to that of Chelsea's Cole Palmer, who has set up four goals while scoring one himself in the Blues' opening three games to earn himself a nomination.
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Also among the August nominees are Brighton & Hove Albion striker Danny Welbeck, who netted in the Seagulls' wins over Everton and Manchester United, and Aston Villa new boy Amadou Onana, who has two goals in his opening three matches.
Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo completes the shortlist, having netted three goals in as many matches while speculation raged over the future of Saudi Arabia-bound Ivan Toney.
Who will win the Premier League Player of the Month prize?
While fans can have their say in who wins the August prize, their votes will be combined with a panel of football experts to determine the winner of the first accolade of the season.
As scintillating as Salah has been throughout the first few weeks of the season, Haaland's astonishing tally of seven goals in just three games surely means he is the favourite for the award.
Ben Knapton
