By Milcah Tanimu

The English Premier League has named Manchester City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, as the Manager of the 2023-2024 Season, triumphing over Aston Villa’s Unai Emery. Despite widespread belief among football enthusiasts that Emery deserved the accolade, Guardiola’s achievements clinched him the title.

Under Unai Emery, Aston Villa experienced their best Premier League run in history. They played a pivotal role in Arsenal’s failure to secure the league title by defeating them both home and away during the season. Notably, Aston Villa’s victory over Arsenal on April 14, 2024, knocked Arsenal down to second place, two points behind the eventual champions, Manchester City.

Aston Villa’s impressive performance included 20 wins, 8 draws, and 10 defeats, finishing the season with 68 points from 38 games. This earned them fourth place and a spot in the next season’s UEFA Champions League. Despite this remarkable achievement, Emery’s recognition was limited to a nomination for the Manager of the Season award.

In contrast, Pep Guardiola was honored for leading Manchester City to their fourth consecutive Premier League title. This marks the fourth time in eight years that Guardiola has received the Manager of the Season award. He was chosen over other notable nominees, including Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp.