Arteta, now firmly in his fifth full season at Arsenal, has built something genuinely formidable. Last year, finishing second to Manchester City by a single point, despite racking up 89 points, stung. You saw it on his face. This season, the expectation in North London isn't just to compete; it's to win. Their summer business, bringing in a top-tier defensive midfielder to complement Declan Rice and bolstering the wide attacking options, suggests they mean business. Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Odegaard are all entering their prime, and the tactical flexibility Arteta has shown, shifting from a possession-heavy 4-3-3 to a more direct 3-2-5 in attack with Oleksandr Zinchenko inverting, makes them incredibly hard to play against. He's matured, too. Remember the touchline antics early in his tenure? Those have been replaced by a more composed, albeit still passionate, presence. If Arsenal finally breaks their Premier League drought, Arteta’s trophy cabinet will swell, and the individual accolades will follow.
Then there's Arne Slot. The Dutchman arrives at Liverpool with the impossible task of filling Jürgen Klopp's boots. Forget "Anfield awaits" — it's more like "Anfield expects, immediately." Slot's Feyenoord side played an aggressive, high-pressing, attacking brand of football that saw them win the Eredivisie in 2022-23 and reach the Europa Conference League final in 2022. He's inherited a squad with immense talent: Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah (assuming he's still there), and the dynamism of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. The challenge for Slot isn't tactical; it's cultural. Can he convince a squad deeply ingrained in Klopp's philosophy to pivot to his own brand of "total football"? He’s a detailed planner, known for his detailed video analysis and intense training sessions. If Liverpool finishes in the top two, especially with a deep run in the Champions League, Slot will be a shoo-in. My hot take? He'll struggle more than people think initially. The Premier League is a different beast entirely.
Pep Guardiola. What more can be said? Four consecutive Premier League titles. An unprecedented run. People keep waiting for the wheels to come off, for the hunger to dissipate, and it just… doesn’t. City’s squad depth is obscene. Erling Haaland is still breaking records, Phil Foden is a Ballon d'Or contender, and Rodri anchors everything with quiet brilliance. Guardiola's genius lies not just in his tactical wizardry – the evolving false nine, the inverted full-backs, the constant positional rotations – but in his ability to motivate a squad that has won everything. He keeps them on their toes, often dropping key players after a perceived dip in performance, even if that player is a Grealish or a Bernardo Silva. The only way Guardiola wins Manager of the Season again is if City secures an unprecedented fifth title, or perhaps finally completes the domestic treble again. Anything less, and the narrative will shift to someone else achieving relative overachievement.
Which brings us to Eddie Howe. Newcastle United's 2023-24 season was a harsh lesson in squad depth, or lack thereof. After finishing fourth in 2022-23 and qualifying for the Champions League, injuries to Nick Pope, Sven Botman, Joelinton, and Callum Wilson derailed their European and domestic ambitions, seeing them finish seventh. This season, with a presumably healthier squad and some smart recruitment to bolster their bench – specifically in central defense and midfield – Howe will be looking to push back into the top four. His brand of high-intensity, vertical football, built around the tireless Bruno Guimarães and the goal threat of Alexander Isak, is thrilling when it clicks. Howe’s achievement in getting Newcastle into the Champions League on a relatively modest wage bill (compared to the established elite) was remarkable. If he can navigate the brutal winter schedule, keep his key players fit, and get Newcastle back into the top four, he'll be a strong contender. He gets more out of his players than any other manager in the league, pound for pound.
Real talk: the Manager of the Season award often goes to the guy who massively overperforms expectations. If Arteta wins the league with Arsenal, he gets it. If Slot somehow steers Liverpool to a title in his first year, it's his. But my money? The smart bet is on Eddie Howe. If Newcastle finishes 5th or higher, especially with a solid European run, given the financial muscle of the Manchester clubs and Arsenal, that’s a bigger achievement. My bold prediction: Eddie Howe guides Newcastle to a surprise third-place finish, securing him the Manager of the Season award.
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