Carrick, Guardiola and Arteta Among Six Nominees for 2025/26 Premier League Manager of the Season Award

The Premier League has confirmed its shortlist for the Manager of the Season award for the 2025/26 campaign, with six candidates nominated across a season that remains unresolved at the top of the table. The Premier League’s official X account published the nominees on 14 May 2026.

The six managers shortlisted are Keith Andrews of Brentford, Mikel Arteta of Arsenal, Michael Carrick of Manchester United, Pep Guardiola of Manchester City, Andoni Iraola of Bournemouth, and Régis Le Bris of Sunderland.

Arteta’s inclusion comes as Arsenal sit top of the Premier League table, five points clear, following a 1-0 victory over West Ham last weekend. The Gunners have recorded 24 wins and seven draws from 36 league matches this season and stand on the brink of their first top-flight title since 2004 — a wait of 23 years.

Guardiola remains in contention on two fronts. Manchester City reduced the gap to Arsenal to two points after a commanding 3-0 win over Crystal Palace in an outstanding fixture, keeping the title race alive heading into the final weeks of the season. The Spaniard is also targeting a domestic quadruple, having already lifted the Carabao Cup this term and guided City to the FA Cup final.

Perhaps the most notable inclusion on the shortlist is Carrick, who joined Manchester United in an interim capacity in January 2026. Despite the abbreviated tenure, he has steered the club into Champions League qualification — a significant turnaround that has earned him a place among the season’s most recognised coaches.

The presence of Andrews, Iraola and Le Bris reflects the breadth of managerial achievement across the division this season. Iraola has continued to establish Bournemouth as a credible mid-table force, while Le Bris has overseen Sunderland’s campaign following the club’s return to the Premier League. Andrews, meanwhile, has kept Brentford competitive throughout a challenging season.

The title race between Arsenal and Manchester City sets the backdrop for what could be a decisive final stretch of fixtures. Should Arteta guide the Gunners to the championship, it would strengthen his case for the individual award considerably. Guardiola, however, brings the prospect of an unprecedented domestic quadruple, a feat that would add weight to his own nomination.

The winner of the Manager of the Season award will be determined by a public vote, with fans able to cast their ballots via the Premier League’s official channels.