Guardiola, Arteta among PL Manager of the Season nominees

Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta are two of six nominees for the 2022-23 Premier League Manager of the Season award.

Guardiola is looking to become just the second manager in Premier League history, after Sir Alex Ferguson, to win the award as many as four times, having previously received the accolade in 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2020-21.

The 52-year-old is on the cusp of leading his Citizens side to a third successive Premier League title, and they also remain in the hunt to win a historic treble as they have Champions League and FA Cup finals to look forward to next month.

Man City have won 27 of their 35 matches this season and currently sit four points clear at the summit ahead of title challengers Arsenal, who have made significant improvements under the tutelage of Arteta this season after missing out on the top four last year.

Although the Gunners’ hopes of winning their first Premier League title for nearly two decades have seemingly slipped away in the closing stages of the campaign, Arteta deserves all the plaudits that come his way for steering his side into contention for the top prize, winning 25 league games out of 36 – just one victory away from equalling a club record in the division.

The only English manager on the six-man shortlist is Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe, who has transformed the Magpies into top-four contenders this term after steering the club away from the relegation zone last season.

Few would have envisaged Newcastle sitting in third place with just two games remaining as well as boasting the best defensive record in the league, conceding just 35 goals, but Howe’s side are in the top four on merit and can secure Champions League football if they claim their 20th league win of the season against Leicester City on Monday.

Elsewhere, Brighton & Hove Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi is also in contention to win the MOTS award less than eight months after replacing Graham Potter in the Seagulls hotseat.

The 43-year-old has received plenty of praise for implementing an attractive brand of football at the Amex Stadium which has helped Brighton challenge for a top-six finish and a place in Europe for the first time in their history.

Another manager to join the Premier League midway through this season is Aston Villa’s Unai Emery, who has made an outstanding impact in the West Midlands, winning 14 and drawing three of his 23 league matches.

The Spaniard arrived at Villa Park with the club placed just one point above the relegation zone in November, and they are now challenging for Europe as they sit only one point behind the top seven heading into the final two fixtures of the campaign.

Completing the six-man managerial shortlist is Fulham boss Marco Silva, who has followed up last season’s title-winning campaign in the Championship with a superb season in the top flight, guiding to Cottagers into the top 10 with 15 wins in 36 games.
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