Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger and his striker Olivier Giroud have been awarded the Barclays Premier League manager and player of the month accolades respectively.

Giroud and Wenger with their awards

Wenger beat Dutch duo Louis van Gaal and Ronald Koeman of Manchester United and Southampton respectively as well as Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood to claim a 14th Manager of the Month award.

The French tactician led Arsenal through an unbeaten month of March, in which the Gunners won all four league matches played against Everton, Queens Park Rangers, West Ham United and Newcastle United.

During that period, Arsenal’s French striker Giroud scored in each match to end the month with five goals and take his season tally in the league to 13 goals.

Giroud, who has nine goals in his last nine league starts, beat teammate and compatriot Francis Coquelin as well as in-form Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane to the award.

Giroud celebrates against West Ham

Also nominated for the March award were Liverpool vice-captain Jordan Henderson, Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini and Aston Villa’s Gabriel Agbonlahor.

28-year old Giroud stated “It’s a great honour to have been selected as Player of the Month, especially because we wanted to bounce back from the Champions League disappointment.”

With nine wins from their last 10 league matches, Arsenal find themselves in third place, a point behind champions Manchester City and in with a long shot at the title, a race led by Chelsea at the moment.

Arsenal would aim to maintain the good form and further assure a top four finish when Liverpool come visiting the Emirates Stadium in Saturday’s early kick-off.