The identity of the Premier League Manager of the Season for 2025–26 will soon be known, after this campaign’s nominees were announced.
First awarded in 1993–94, the prize tends to go the manager whose team has been crowned champions. That is why Sir Alex Ferguson, the inaugural recipient, was an 11-time winner.
But it isn’t always the case, as George Burley, Alan Pardew, Harry Redknapp and Tony Pulis have been recognized for achievements that fall outside of simply winning the title. Sometimes, guiding an unfancied club to a position that far exceeds expectations trumps silverware.
These are the six managers nominated in 2025–26, ranked by Sports Illustrated in the order they deserve to win.
6. Pep Guardiola (Man City)
Pep Guardiola has overseen the start of a Manchester City rebuild this season, is guaranteed to finish no lower than second and could even end the campaign with a seventh Premier League title.
But it still feels limited by his and the club’s previous standards, especially when this City team would have been left behind by some of competition they have previously faced over the past decade.
For nearly every team, finishing second would be a huge achievement. But it’s all relative and Pep has built his reputation on more.
5. Régis Le Bris (Sunderland)
For Sunderland to have never been remotely in danger of relegation in the club’s first season as a Premier League club in eight years tells you everything about the job Régis Le Bris has done.
The Frenchman’s tactics have been a huge part of that, making them defensively resolute and tough to beat—as evidenced by them losing only one game more than Liverpool.
The Black Cats only need to match Newcastle United’s results over the next two games to finish above their fiercest rivals. A top-half finish is also still within reach, which Sunderland have not managed since 2010–11.
4. Mikel Arteta (Arsenal)
It’s taken literal years of near misses, but Mikel Arteta is on the brink of ending Arsenal’s longest ever wait between league championships since the club clinched its first in 1931.
As long as the Gunners hold on, this a huge achievement and Arteta has broken a generation of underachievement by doing what he needed to do, whatever way you look at it. Aesthetically, it hasn’t been brilliant and there is something about the way it has all unfolded that leaves a taste of sourness.
At best, if Arsenal win both remaining fixtures, it will be the fourth-lowest points tally for a Premier League champion in the 22 years that have passed since the Gunners’ previous title.
Winning is everything, sure, but is this really how he imagined it would be?
3. Keith Andrews (Brentford)
After losing manager Thomas Frank, and leading scorers Bryan Mbeumo and Yoana Wissa—who racked up 39 Premier League goals between them last season—many would have expected a steep backslide from Brentford. Even relegation might not have been a surprise.
But former assistant coach Keith Andrews has stepped out of the shadow of his old boss and is on the cusp of steering the Bees to their highest ever league finish. Even qualifying for European competition for the first time isn’t out of the question.
It’s the Irishman’s debut season as manager, too.
2. Michael Carrick (Man Utd)
In less than half a season, Michael Carrick has completely transformed Manchester United’s fortunes. It wasn’t looking likely the club would match 2024–25’s 51-year low, but the team was still struggling to consistently win by the time Ruben Amorim was shown the door in early January.
Carrick has won 10 of 15 matches for which he’s been in charge of the team, amassing 33 points from a possible 45—more than any other team over the same period.
The 44-year-old was tasked with delivering Champions League qualification, which he achieved with three games to spare, and it’s almost certainly secured him a permanent contract.
1. Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth)
If things go Bournemouth’s way, including Aston Villa winning the Europa League, Andoni Iraola’s parting gift to the Cherries could very well be Champions League qualification.
After a summer transfer window in which the Spaniard lost three quarters of his defense and a star winger, followed by his best player then being sold in January, it’s a truly remarkable achievement to have found solutions to those issues and still be on the brink of finishing the season as the sixth best team in England. After all, Bournemouth are the Premier League’s smallest club.
Iraola will challenge himself elsewhere next season and Bournemouth won’t be the same.
READ THE LATEST PREMIER LEAGUE NEWS, ANALYSIS AND INSIGHT FROM SI FC
Add us as a preferred source on Google
