article: Arsenal's Olivier Giroud and Arsene Wenger have been named as the Barclays Premier League Player and Manager of the Month for March - with the France striker thwarting Harry Kane's bid for a third award in a row. Giroud netted five times in Arsenal's four consecutive league wins last month as Wenger's side took all 12 points on offer. The Gunners are now a point behind second-placed Manchester City with eight games remaining. Olivier Giroud (left) and Arsene Wenger are the Premier League Player and Manager of the Month . Striker Giroud scored five goals in four games for Arsenal in March to earn the award . Wenger inspired Arsenal to four victories from four games in the Premier League . Arsenal sit third in the Premier League following their impressive March, seven points behind Chelsea . March 1 Arsenal 2-0 Everton (1 Giroud goal) March 4 QPR 1-2 Arsenal (1) March 14 Arsenal 3-0 West Ham (1) March 21 Newcastle United 1-2 Arsenal (2) Giroud's impressive form stopped Tottenham striker Kane  from becoming the first player to take three consecutive Player of the Month gongs. 'I'm really pleased with it,' Giroud told Arsenal's official website. 'I would like to thank my team-mates and of course the fans, because it's a collective sport and I couldn't do it on my own. '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. 'That's what we've done and we've come back really strongly. We all want to finish strongly and this award will give me more confidence for the following games.' Kane also fired five goals in four appearances for Mauricio Pochettino's side in March, including his first ever Premier League hat-trick when Spurs beat Leicester City 4-3 at White Hart Lane. But it was Giroud who took the honours after finding the back of the net in all of Arsenal's league encounters. He opened proceedings in Arsenal's 2-0 home win over Everton and got another in the 2-1 victory against London rivals Queens Park Rangers. Harry Kane also scored five times for Tottenham in March but missed out on player of the month . Kane (second right) holds the ball after his first Premier League hat-trick for Tottenham against Sunderland . Kane (centre) scored both goals as Tottenham beat Queens Park Rangers 2-1 at Loftus Road . His impressive form continued when he got the first goal in the 3-0 home victory over West Ham before spearheading Arsenal's attack once again with both goals in the 2-1 win at Newcastle. Arsenal host Liverpool in the early Premier League game on Saturday knowing another victory would move them nine points ahead of Brendan Rodgers' side and above City, who play Crystal Palace on Monday.
highlights: Arsenal won all four of their Premier League games in March .
  Striker Olivier Giroud scored five times in four appearances .
  Spurs' Harry Kane was bidding for a third straight monthly award .
prediction: Arsenal' s Olivier 
   named as 
   Harry 
   for a third award 
   five times 
   four consecutive league 
   month 
   The 
   - 
   Manchester 
   and Arsene Wenger are the Premier League Player and Manager of the Month . 
   Giroud scored five goals in four games for Arsenal in March to 
   Premier League . 
   points behind 
   Tottenham striker Kane 
   also 
   missed out on player of 
  