Arteta to win Manager of the Season? BT pundits in agreement amid ‘incredible’ Arsenal title push

BT Sport pundits Peter Crouch and Shay Given both believe Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta deserves to be named Premier League Manager of the Season.

Arteta’s side are flying this term and currently sit top of the league, six points clear of reigning champions Man City.

There are plenty of contenders to win the end-of-season award, though the Spaniard is unsurprisingly the favourite to do so.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has put Newcastle in an incredible position to qualify for the Champions League, while Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, Aston Villa’s Unai Emery and Brentford’s Thomas Frank are also enjoying wonderful campaigns.

Former England, Liverpool and Tottenham striker Crouch waxed lyrical about Arteta – who he believes is a shoo-in to win the award, even if Arsenal fail to beat City to the title.

“I know there has been a massive turnaround in Aston Villa and Newcastle’s fortunes, but he (Arteta) was getting the sack last year,” Crouch told BT Sport. “People were calling for the sack – lots of people.

“The fact he’s turned that around to challenge a powerhouse like Manchester City, it’s been an incredible season for them.

“I think for Arteta to challenge and be top of the league for so long, considering how Liverpool and Manchester City were last season… if you said at the start of the season that they would be in the mix with however many games to go now, you would have given (the award) to him then.

“I think Eddie Howe, De Zerbi and Emery have done terrific jobs, but what he’s done at Arsenal has been fantastic.”

Ex-Newcastle goalkeeper Given agreed with Crouch, noting that the club’s board deserve their flowers for sticking with Arteta.

“I think you’ve got to give credit to the hierarchy at Arsenal as well,” he said.

“A year ago (Arteta) was under pressure – ‘Is he the right manager, he’s young, inexperienced, is he the person to lead us forward?’ – and you look at the number of managers who have been sacked in the Premier League this season, it’s the highest it’s ever been.

“But a year or so ago they stuck with him, said ‘he’s our man’.

“They were two big players as they’ve been there before and won the league. I’m sure week in week out, especially Zinchenko, they are very vocal in the changing room.

“They’ve got the right blend there I think.”