Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola is vying with the Premier League’s top four as the manager of the year nominees were announced on Thursday.
Iraola has been recognised for guiding the Cherries into the top half of the league in his first season in charge, despite failing to win any of his first nine games.
A remarkable run of seven wins in nine before the turn of the year lifted the club from 19th to 13th and the recent win over Brighton gives Bournemouth an outside chance of a top-eight finish with two games of the campaign left to play.
Also nominated are Arsenal's Mikel Arteta, Manchester City's Pep Guardiola, Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp and Aston Villa's Unai Emery.
Guardiola and Klopp have shared the last six awards, the City boss winning four to Klopp’s two. Arteta is a real contender to end that run, though, having again guided Arsenal to the top of the table as they look to go one better than last season and win the title.
Emery has drastically improved Villa’s fortunes after taking over from Steven Gerrard 18 months ago, and looks certain to clinch a Champions League place, which would be a first for the club.
