Premier League Manager Of The Season 2021/22: Who is in the Running?

Following the huge takeover at Newcastle, it may have come as a surprise to some that the wealthy new owners appointed Eddie Howe as Magpies manager in November of this year, with plenty of other big-name candidates in the running. But even more surprising, is the way that Howe has incredibly turned things around at St James’ Park.

With Premier League safety looking more or less guaranteed as the club sit in ninth place and on course for a mid-table finish, Howe has to take credit for the work he has done in turning the side around.

Newcastle are about to become the first Premier League side in history to stay up despite failing to win any of their opening 14 games this season, with the club looking in a world of trouble at the foot of the table early on when Howe was appointed. The ex-Bournemouth boss has done an immense job though, shown with only Liverpool acquiring more points in 2022 than Newcastle.

Many will be quick to point out the January signings that have inevitably helped the North-East side out, but credit should be given to Howe and his backroom staff for identifying the players the club needed and not just throwing money at big-name stars. Players like Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes, Matt Targett, Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn have come in and fitted into the club’s togetherness and team spirit that has been instilled by Howe.

Another side that many didn’t have much hope for was Brentford, following their promotion to the Premier League. However, Thomas Frank has done a magnificent job of not just keeping the Bees in the league but keeping them well clear of a relegation dogfight with a mid-table position looking very much possible.

Frank has been able to get the best of his side, alternating between formations but still keeping the same attacking football that his side like to play. Frank has switched from his trusted 3-5-2 to a 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 following a slip up in form midway through the campaign, allowing Brentford to get the best out of their creative players such as Ivan Toney and Christian Eriksen, which has helped see them win five of their last seven.

Frank has masterminded some huge results along the way, with big wins against some of the best sides in the league such as Arsenal and West Ham, as well as the 4-1 thrashing of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

It’s been a tough few years in charge of Arsenal for Mikel Arteta, but this year has been one of his best, with his side looking as though they have finally come into their own.

Following a lacklustre period which has seen the Gunners fall behind their top-six rivals, few would have predicted that the North London outfit would be very much in the fight and in with a real chance of finishing in the top four and bringing Champions League football back to the Emirates for the first time since 2017.

Arteta has brought in and developed some of Arsenal’s young guns, with the likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe having starring roles in Arsenal’s attacking football. Arteta has been given time to build a stable team that are much more of a cohesive unit than in recent times, as well as being one of the younger sides in the league. Arsenal are now probably the best they have been since Arsene Wenger’s departure, with Arteta reaping the rewards.

It’s been another fantastic season for the Hammers, who have once again been one of the outsiders in the race for European football. David Moyes also made history in Europe with West Ham, taking them to the semi-finals of the Europa League whilst maintaining his side's quest to break into the top six.

Moyes has built a structured side that has plenty of depth, making them one of them a tough side to beat. Whilst they have slipped a bit in recent weeks (understandable given their focus on European glory), they have taken some big scalps along the way such as Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs, as Moyes continues to keep his Hammers side fighting at the top end of the table.

It’s been another thrilling title race this season and is likely to go down to the wire in the showdown between the top two managers in the league. Liverpool are still on course to capture an unprecedented quadruple, with the Premier League still all to play for.

After many setbacks that stalled them last season, Klopp and his Liverpool side have been better than ever as they remain hot on Manchester City’s trail. The Reds have lost just two games all season, winning 24 of the 33 games so far as the top two forms a league of their own at the summit of the Premier League table.

Klopp has added depth to his side, meaning they have numerous players who can come in and perform when needed, whether it’s Ibrahima Konate replacing Joel Matip or Luis Diaz replacing Sadio Mane. It’s seen the Merseyside outfit become even more unstoppable as they hunt down Manchester City. Liverpool have also notched up 85 goals so far in the league, showing just how lethal they are in front of goal.

Manchester City have once again been the team to beat at the top of the league, with Pep Guardiola keeping his side on top.

Like Klopp, Guardiola has made sure his side have stayed ruthless and that was shown by the Citizens’ 12-game winning run. They’ve also conceded just 21 goals all year, showing that Guardiola’s well-oiled machine are firing on all aspects of their game, including defensively.

Guardiola has also kept his side fresh and happy with regular rotation, as City show no signs of slowing down as they look to make it back-to-back Premier League titles.