Manchester United boss Michael Carrick has been named among the nominees for Premier League Manager of the Year despite only landing the job in January
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has been nominated for the Premier League Manager of the Year awards(Image: Shaun Brooks - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Michael Carrick is a surprise nominee for Premier League Manager of the Year after only four months in charge of Manchester United. Carrick took charge of his old club in January but has successfully steered them back into next term's Champions League with time to spare.
He's been named among the nominees alongside Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta, Keith Andrews, Regis Le Bris and Andoni Iraola. Arsenal chief Arteta is on course to clinch the club's first Premier League title since 2004.
Guardiola's Manchester City are the only team left in contention who can topple the Gunners from the summit. City are two points off with two games remaining and face Chelsea in the FA Cup final on Saturday.
Carrick, who is locked in talks about taking the United job permanently, has steered the team to third in the table and back to Europe's top table after two seasons without Champions League football. He replaced Ruben Amorim in January and only Guardiola's City have earned more Premier League points than Carrick's United's since that transition.
Bournemouth boss Iraola has confirmed he'll leave the Vitality Stadium at the end of this season but can still leave on a historic high. The Cherries currently sit sixth and are all-but-guaranteed to break their previous best top-flight finish of ninth, which Iraola achieved last term.
The south-coast club is currently en route for a Europa League spot but could still bank a Champions League place themselves. They sit four points below Aston Villa in fifth with two games to go, while sixth place could also award Champions League qualification if Villa finish fifth and beat Freiburg to lift the Europa League crown.
Mikel Arteta celebrating
Mikel Arteta could be a shoo-in for Manager of the Year if he ends Arsenal's 22-year wait for a Premier League title(Image: Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
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That's also of major interest to Andrews' Brentford, who sit just two points off Bournemouth in eighth place. The Bees are also breaking new ground under their current boss and could yet time a late leap into European contention themselves.
Andrews' feat is all the more impressive given this is his debut campaign as a senior coach. He took over from Thomas Frank last summer with many questions as to whether he could fill the Dane's sizeable shoes, only to find himself on the verge of bettering his predecessor's highest league finish.
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Sunderland boss Le Bris is the only nominee who's in charge of a team outside the current top 10. However, that could easily change over the next week or so, with just one point separating the Black Cats from Chelsea in ninth.
Le Bris has overseen an overwhelmingly positive return to the top flight following promotion from the Championship last summer. Sunderland assured safety with plenty of time to spare, earning back-to-back wins in the Tyne-Wear derby and earning draws against the current top four of Arsenal, City, United and Liverpool.
Fan can vote for their choice to win Premier League Manager of the Year, with the deadline set for Monday, May 18 at noon. The recipient of this year's award will then be announced on Tuesday, May 26.