Reading FC striker Lucas Joao has been awarded Championship Player of the Month for February.

The Portuguese star only regained his fitness from a hip injury in January, scoring one against Huddersfield Town in a 3-4 defeat.

However, it was February in which Joao burst into life, scoring five goals in six matches, including a stunning brace in Veljko Paunovic’s final match against Preston North End.

The former Sheffield Wednesday forward also notched against Coventry City, Birmingham City and Blackpool as Paul Ince has won one and lost two of his three matches in charge.

He beat Sheffield United goalkeeper Wes Foderingham; Fulham’s Aleksander Mitrovic and Luton Town midfielder Allan Campbell.

Joao has also been nominated for the PFA Championship Player of the Month, as well as winning fan account The Tilehurst End's Player of the Month award.

Joao becomes the first Royals player to win a Player of the Month award since French striker Yann Kermorgant in April 2017 as he fired 18 league goals on the way to the play-off final.

Fellow striker Adam Le Fondre won the award with Reading in January 2014, while exactly 10 years ago Australian goalkeeper Adam Federici won the award as Brian McDermott’s side won the Championship title.