EPL: Guardiola beats Emery, Arteta to win manager of the season

Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola has been named as the Premier League Manager of the Season for the fifth time after guiding Manchester City to a record-breaking fourth consecutive title.

Man City clinched their eighth Premier League title, and their sixth under Guardiola, by edging out Arsenal by two points on the final day of the season.

Guardiola’s Manchester City made history as the first team in English football to win more than three consecutive top-flight titles.

This remarkable achievement places Guardiola among an elite group of managers, with only Alex Ferguson (13 titles) surpassing his six English top-flight crowns.

Guardiola now matches the records of former Aston Villa manager George Ramsay and Liverpool legend Bob Paisley.

In terms of the Premier League Manager of the Season award, Guardiola’s fifth win positions him second only to Ferguson, who holds 11 awards.

Guardiola’s previous accolades came from his title-winning seasons in 2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21, and 2022-23.

His latest win further distances him from Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger, both of whom have three awards each.

Upon receiving the award, Guardiola acknowledged the stiff competition from his fellow nominees and praised their exceptional contributions to the league.

“I want to share it, especially with Mikel [Arteta] for the incredible job he has done until the last game, bringing us to our limits,” said Guardiola.

“Of course, for Jurgen [Klopp], for the unforgettable battles for many, many years. And Unai Emery, making something unbelievable again to bring Aston Villa to the Champions League. And Andoni Iraola, with Bournemouth, being his first season in the Premier League, doing what he has done and coming back from a tough start to the season.”

AFP