Ranking 5 early contenders to win Premier League manager of the season award (2021-22)
The Premier League boasts some of the best managers in Europe. From Pep Guardiola to Jurgen Klopp, most of them have proved their credentials at the highest level.
There have also been some new appointments made by the clubs this summer. Nuno Espirito Santo was appointed manager of Tottenham Hotspur while Rafael Benitez took charge of Everton. Patrick Vieira has also taken charge at Crystal Palace.
Who is an early contender for Premier League manager of the season?
After two Premier League game weeks, West Ham, along with Chelsea, Liverpool, Brighton and Tottenham, have managed to get maximum points. Meanwhile Manchester United and Everton, who made a brilliant start to the opening weekend, managed to draw their second game. Manchester City, who lost to Tottenham in their first game, came back strong with a 5-0 win over Norwich.
Based on the performance of their respective teams in the first two weeks, let's take a look at the five early contenders for Premier League manager of the season:
#5 David Moyes - West Ham United
David Moyes and West Ham United have made a brilliant start to their Premier League campaign, winning their first two games and sitting atop the Premier League table.
They have registered comfortable wins over Newcastle United and Leicester City and look set to challenge for the top six again this season.
Since being appointed manager of West Ham midway through the 2019-20 Premier League season, Moyes has taken the club in the right direction. He helped them survive relegation during his first season. But the following season was arguably the high point of Moyes' managerial career as West Ham managed to finish sixth under his guidance and qualify for the Europa League.
Although his stint with Manchester United did not go well, Moyes is still a smart manager and West Ham are reaping the rewards for appointing him. His team's performance in the first two matches definitely bodes well for the rest of the campaign. Hence Moyes might be a contender for the Premier League manager of the season award come the end of the season.
#4 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer - Manchester United
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will enter his third full season as manager of Manchester United and has done pretty well so far. He has helped the Red Devils improve in the Premier League and has managed to guide them to a top four finish in his first two full seasons. United even finished second behind Manchester City in the Premier League last term.
The only blemish on him is that he has guided United to four semi-finals and a final but has lost in all of them. The most recent was the Europa League final last term where United lost to Villarreal on penalties, finishing another season without silverware.
Nevertheless, there have been consistent improvements in United's performances since the appointment of Solskjaer as manager.
United have made smart investments in the summer, acquiring Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane to fill the holes in their squad. They started the 2021-22 Premier League campaign brilliantly, thrashing Leeds United 5-1 in front of a packed Old Trafford. However, they only managed to earn a draw against Southampton the following week.
However, the Red Devils still have enough quality in their ranks to finally end their wait for the 21st Premier League title. If that happens, Solskjaer could become a prime contender for the manager of the season award.