Goalkeeper Marco Silvestri has been nominated for February’s Sky Bet Championship Player of the Month award .

The Italian shot-stopper, who turned 24 this week, kept clean sheets against Reading, Millwall and Middlesbrough and played a key role in United’s recent upturn in form.

He was named Man of the Match following the 1-0 victory at the Riverside Stadium and also went on to feature in the Football League’s Team of the Week after an all-action display between the sticks.

Silvestri, a summer signing from Chievo, also pulled off a string of eye-catching reaction stops in last week’s defeat at Brighton, including a fine double-save in the second half.

The four nominees for February’s Sky Bet Championship Player of the Month award are:

Odion Ighalo (Watford)

A second straight nomination for the instinctive marksman who scored six goals in five games. Displayed his full array of finishing with a snapshot against Blackburn Rovers, a header and a volley at Brentford and a smooth strike at Bolton Wanderers.

Tom Ince (Derby County)

Ince has rediscovered his zest since his move to Derby County. His superb free-kick against Bolton Wanderers triggered a string of classy goals, with a neat curler at Rotherham United the other pick of his five, while his movement created holes for others.

Henri Lansbury (Nottingham Forest)

The fulcrum of Forest’s stellar February with goals in five successive games - including two free-kicks and a stunning curler against Wigan Athletic - allied to defensive diligence, consistency and a new maturity as he assumed the captaincy.

Marco Silvestri (Leeds United)

An all-action month for the Italian who spent it diving all over the place in a one-man show of defiance. Fine reaction saves against Brentford, Reading and Brighton were bettered by a series of stops to preserve a 1-0 win at Middlesbrough.

ALL WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON FRIDAY MARCH 6 2015

The judging panel comprises Sky Sports’ Football League expert Don Goodman; Football League Head of Communications John Nagle; League Managers’ Association Director Olaf Dixon and Sky Bet Football Trading Manager Paul Lowery.

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