The EFL has joined the debate over Southampton’s award victory.

Southampton striker Cyle Larin has been rewarded for his outstanding start to the new Championship campaign after being named the division’s Player of the Month for August, with the EFL’s decision adding another interesting twist to an increasingly competitive debate over who is the best striker in the second tier.

The Saints have quickly established themselves as one of the most entertaining sides in the Championship this season. Tonda Eckert’s team have made an impressive attacking start, scoring 14 goals across their opening six league fixtures.

Only West Ham United have matched Southampton’s tally of 14 goals during the early stages of the campaign, highlighting just how productive the south coast club have been in front of goal.

Southampton v Swansea City – Sky Bet Championship – St Mary’s Stadium | Adam Davy – PA Images/GettyImages

A significant proportion of Southampton’s attacking output has come at St Mary’s, where they have been particularly ruthless. The Saints have scored 11 goals in their recent home victories over Stoke City, Millwall and Swansea City, demonstrating the threat they possess when playing in front of their supporters.

Attention will now turn towards their next home fixture against Bristol City, with the Robins facing the difficult task of attempting to contain an Southampton attack that has been in excellent scoring form.

Larin will once again be expected to lead the line, and the experienced Canadian striker has every reason to approach the game full of confidence after receiving recognition for his performances during August.

Larin rewarded for outstanding August

The 31-year-old has been one of the standout performers in Eckert’s promotion-chasing squad and has now collected the Championship Player of the Month award for August.

Larin has already scored five goals in six Championship appearances this season, while four of those goals arrived during four matches across all competitions in August.

His performances included a memorable display against Millwall, when Southampton produced an emphatic result against a team that had started the campaign strongly.

Larin scored twice in that encounter, helping the Saints overwhelm the early league leaders. His second goal was arguably the highlight of his August campaign, with the striker producing a superb volley to put Southampton 4-1 ahead.

The finish was of such quality that it has also been nominated for the Sky Bet Championship Goal of the Month award. That means Larin could potentially complete an impressive individual double by collecting both the Player of the Month and Goal of the Month prizes.

Southampton themselves celebrated the goal on social media, describing the finish as “Magical” while highlighting its nomination for the monthly award.

However, Larin faces strong competition in the goal contest.

One of the other contenders is former Southampton academy product Dom Ballard, who is now representing Bristol City. Ballard produced an audacious finish against Birmingham City towards the end of August and will return to St Mary’s with the Robins for Saturday’s fixture.

That creates an interesting subplot ahead of the match, with Larin and Ballard both looking to make an impact when the two sides meet.

Yet while that battle could influence the result on the pitch, Larin’s latest individual honour has also reignited a much broader conversation throughout the Championship.

EFL decision adds fuel to striker debate

The EFL may not have deliberately intended to settle the argument over the division’s best striker, but their decision to award Larin the August prize has certainly added another layer to the discussion.

Southampton boss Eckert has previously been outspoken about his belief that Larin is the strongest centre-forward in the Championship. The manager has praised the Canadian’s qualities and has made it clear that he considers his experienced number nine to be the best striker operating in the second tier.

Now Larin has an official monthly award to support that claim.

However, not everyone will agree with the EFL’s decision.

Middlesbrough supporters are likely to point towards their own young forward, Will Lankshear, as a player who deserved serious consideration for the award.

Lankshear enjoyed an outstanding August for Boro, scoring two separate braces that helped Middlesbrough secure important victories during the month.

When the league statistics are compared directly, the argument becomes even more interesting.

Larin and Lankshear both scored four Championship goals during August, despite playing different amounts of football.

The Southampton forward featured in three league matches and accumulated 218 minutes on the pitch. Lankshear also played three games but was involved for considerably longer, completing 266 minutes.

Both players therefore finished the month with four league goals, making the decision to select Larin particularly intriguing.

Lankshear, who is only 21, has emerged as one of the exciting young attacking players in the division, while Larin brings considerably more experience and has already demonstrated his ability to deliver goals consistently at Championship level.

The contrasting profiles of the two strikers make the debate even more compelling.

Larin has age and experience on his side, while Lankshear represents the younger generation of forwards attempting to establish themselves as major Championship stars.

For now, however, the EFL has sided with the Southampton striker.

Lankshear will have another opportunity to make his case when Middlesbrough face Norwich City. A strong performance and another goal could quickly reignite the conversation surrounding the division’s most dangerous forwards.

The battle is also unlikely to end after August.

Both Larin and Lankshear are expected to remain heavily involved in the race for the Championship Golden Boot as the season develops. Their goals could prove crucial to the promotion ambitions of Southampton and Middlesbrough respectively.

Larin, in particular, appears to have carried his outstanding August form into September. He found the net against Swansea in Southampton’s most recent match, continuing a remarkable run of scoring form and providing another reminder of why Eckert rates him so highly.

The Canadian will now be looking to add to his tally when Bristol City arrive at St Mary’s.

Southampton have already shown that they possess one of the most dangerous attacks in the Championship, and Larin has been central to that success.

His five league goals from six appearances underline his importance, while his Player of the Month award provides further recognition of his contribution.

At the same time, the statistics involving Lankshear show just how competitive the striker race could become.

Both forwards produced four league goals in August, and there is every reason to believe they will continue competing for individual honours throughout the season.

For Southampton, having a proven goalscorer in such strong form can only strengthen their promotion ambitions. Eckert will hope Larin can maintain his consistency as the campaign becomes increasingly demanding.

For Middlesbrough, Lankshear’s continued development could be equally important.

The EFL may have given Larin the award this time, but the debate over the Championship’s best striker is far from settled.

For now, though, the experienced Southampton forward has moved ahead of his younger rival after receiving the official recognition.

With another month of football already underway, Larin has the perfect opportunity to strengthen his case further. If he continues scoring at his current rate, the discussion about who is the most difficult Championship striker to stop may become increasingly difficult to argue against.

The race is only beginning, and both Larin and Lankshear are likely to have plenty more opportunities to make their claims.