The 2023-24 Premier League season has reached its thrilling conclusion, with Manchester City narrowly beating Arsenal to the title, lifting the trophy for a fourth time in a row under Pep Guardiola.
The Spaniard has made City one of the best sides in the history of the top flight, and while the Premier League top 4 odds remain competitive, City will once again be firm favourites to win the league.
For the rest of the league, the task is to remain in the race as long as possible, and it will be interesting to see how the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea perform – both sides under new management with Arne Slot and Enzo Maresca respectively.
It’s a cutthroat business being a Premier League manager, and as we reflect on the season gone by, let’s assess five of the best bosses from the campaign and the influence they had on their sides.
Pep Guardiola
We begin with Guardiola, who won his sixth Premier League title with City since his appointment in 2016. The latest victory was his 38th trophy as a manager, having won major awards at Barcelona and Bayern Munich before arriving in Manchester.
City started the campaign slowly by their standards, but an unbeaten run for the final 23 games of the season ensured they would retain the title despite attempts from Arsenal and Liverpool.
Mikel Arteta
When Arsenal capitulated in the 2022-23 title race, many wondered if their impressive winning streak was simply a flash in the pan or whether the Gunners were building something special under Mikel Arteta. Fortunately, a summer rebuild that included the signings of Declan Rice and Kai Havertz ensured the Emirates was booming with atmosphere once again.
Arsenal looked more mature this time around, conceding the fewest number of goals in the league, and while they just fell short of City, there’s every chance it could be third time lucky for Arteta thanks to his tactical acumen.
Andoni Iraola
One of the surprise packages this season was Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola. The Cherries sacked Gary O’Neil to the shock of many and Iraola, who had shown quality at Rayo Vallecano but lacked real experience at the highest level, was immediately set to feel the pressure with Bournemouth’s limited budget.
However, the Cherries blossomed as the campaign grew, and Iraola deserves huge credit for reimagining the attack, spearheaded by Dominic Solanke, who scored 19 goals to finish fourth overall in the race for the Golden Boot.
Oliver Glasner
Oliver Glasner only arrived at Crystal Palace halfway through the season, but that cameo showcased the Austrian’s quality, and a bid from Bayern Munich followed at the end of a year that could have been disastrous if the Eagles had persisted with Roy Hodgson.
Glasner made small tweaks to make Palace far more attacking, with the three of Michael Olise, Ebere Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta one of the most formidable in the league, beating the likes of Liverpool and West Ham United comfortably.
Unai Emery
Aston Villa secured Champions League football for the first time since 1992 under the guidance of Unai Emery. The influx of Spanish managers in the Premier League came with a range of tactical approaches, and Emery now must go down as one of the best coaches in Europe for his ability to transform a side that were relegation candidates under Steven Gerrard, to the top four within a year and a half.
