Three Spanish managers, Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta, and Unai Emery, have been nominated for the Premier League Manager of the Year award. This means that half of the shortlist is made up of Spanish coaches.
Pep Guardiola, the head coach of Manchester City, is likely to win his fifth Premier League title in six years. His team overcame an eight-point difference to Arsenal, managed by Mikel Arteta. Arteta deserves recognition for making Arsenal competitive again and leading them to a title charge after many years.
Unai Emery, a former Arsenal boss from the Basque region like Arteta, is also nominated for the award. He turned around Aston Villa’s fortunes, taking them from struggling to fighting for a place in European competitions. Aston Villa currently has 57 points, which is just eight points behind Liverpool in fifth place.
The other nominees for the Premier League Manager of the Year award include Roberto De Zerbi of Brighton, Eddie Howe of Newcastle United, and Marco Silva of Fulham.
Roberto De Zerbi is praised for the attractive style of play he has brought to Brighton since taking over from Graham Potter. Brighton is having one of their best seasons in history under his management.
On Thursday, Brighton will face Eddie Howe’s Newcastle, who are aiming to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 20 years.
Marco Silva, the Portuguese coach of Fulham, has achieved a remarkable feat with the newly-promoted team. Fulham is not only safe from relegation but is also in the top half of the table. They have been one of the surprises of the season.
The winner of the award will be determined by a combination of public votes and the opinions of a panel of experts.
