The Premier League have revealed the Manager of the Season nominees for the 2023/24 campaign with four Spaniards dominating the five-man shortlist.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta joins Andoni Iraola of AFC Bournemouth, Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola as well as Aston Villa boss Unai Emery. Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp, in his final season as Reds boss, has also been nominated.
Arsenal currently lead the way in the Premier League as they seek their first title in 20 years, sitting one point above defending champions Manchester City but Pep Guardiola and City do have a game-in-hand on the Gunners.
Unai Emery looks set to claim UEFA Champions League qualification with Aston Villa after a remarkable campaign in which they have also reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa Conference League.
If not for the fact he was departing at the end of the season, Jurgen Klopp’s campaign at Liverpool would probably be seen as very impressive in what is a transitional campaign but the Reds are looking set for a third place finish in the Premier League.
Andoni Iraola left Rayo Vallecano for Bournemouth in the summer following the surprise sacking of Gary O’Neil after a slow start, he has cultivated a high-pressing, energetic Cherries side aiming for a top-half finish.
An interesting fact about the nominees would be that three of them, Mikel Arteta, Andoni Iraola and Unai Emery, are from the smallest province in Spain of Gipuzkoa. With a population of just 720,000, the area has also produced fellow remarkable coaches such as Xabi Alonso, Julen Lopetegui, Imanol Aguacil, Jago Arrasate and Javi Gracia.
