The 2023/24 Premier League season has been a rollercoaster of surprises, with five managers defying expectations and making headlines.
From tactical masterstrokes to unexpected transformations, these leaders have left fans and pundits in awe. Unheralded at the season’s start, their teams have become formidable contenders, challenging the established order.
This remarkable shift in fortunes has sparked admiration and curiosity, as these managers showcase resilience, strategic brilliance, and the ability to extract peak performances from their squads.
As the league unfolds, their unexpected success stories add an intriguing layer to the captivating drama of English football.
5. Marco Silva (Fulham)
Fulham were expected to suffer a rapid drop following the summer departure of Aleksandar Mitrovic, who could not be persuaded to turn down a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia, as so many others did in the summer window.
Silva had to demonstrate a great degree of tactical acumen to get the club through the first few months of the season as his side battled to fill that hole in the final third, and has gradually transformed the Cottagers into an even better squad.
Silva’s men have won three of their previous four games, including 5-0 triumphs against Nottingham Forest and West Ham, bringing them within five points of the top seven.
Marco expects his players to be aggressive in their pressing and focuses on wing-based attacks, which is paying off. If the club continues to progress at this rate, the Portuguese tactician could lead them back to Europe.
4. Eddie Howe (Newcastle United)
Newcastle began the new season with a 5-1 thrashing of Aston Villa, sending shockwaves across the division – but it proved to be a false dawn. Howe’s team lost their next three games against Manchester City, Liverpool, and Brighton, allowing six goals in the process.
In full flow, Howe’s transition-focused side is still lethal, and recent home triumphs over Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United demonstrated that they can compete with anyone at St James’ Park.
Unfortunately, Newcastle’s away form has let them down, with only one win in their first eight games on the road.
The Magpies appear to have been handicapped by Champions League commitments, with an injury crisis forcing Howe to continuously change his starting lineup.
Newcastle fell to ninth after huge defeats at Everton and Tottenham, and they currently sit seven points outside the top four, which should cause Howe serious concern.
The manager may need to spend heavily in January to get his squad back on track, but the club’s Saudi-backed owners are reportedly mulling a move for ex-Chelsea and Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho.
Howe deserves more time to right the ship, but Newcastle can’t afford any more slip-ups as the year comes to a close.
3. Sean Dyche (Everton)
You’d be hard-pressed to find somebody who wasn’t delighted when Dyche was appointed manager of Everton. During his time at Burnley, he exceeded expectations season after season, and he thoroughly deserved an opportunity at a bigger club.
Everton turned things around with victories over Bournemouth, West Ham and Crystal Palace, but the club was then docked ten points for violating the Premier League’s financial fair play rules.
As a result, Dyche’s side plummeted to joint-bottom with four points and appeared to be relegated favorites once more.
Few managers, however, thrive in the face of adversity like Dyche, who has subsequently overseen three wins out of four, including the 2-0 thrashing of Chelsea on Sunday, which moved Everton four points clear of the relegation zone.
The Toffees may be struggling off the pitch, but they are in terrific hands on it, and Dyche will still enjoy his chances of finishing in the top ten.
2. Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth)
Iraola is a progressive, forward-thinking manager with a lot of desire, but it took him a while to get his distinctive tactical plan across to his new team, Bournemouth.
The new Bournemouth manager began his tenure with seven defeats in 11 games, including a 6-1 thumping by Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
Speculation about Iraola’s status began to surface, but he stood firm in his ideals, and the Cherries began a surprising ascent up the table.
Iraola’s appointment is suddenly looking like a masterstroke, as he’s won four of his previous five games on the touchline, and it’ll be interesting to watch how far the Cherries can go under his capable leadership.
1. Roberto De Zerbi (Brighton)
Brighton’s sixth-place performance in 2022-23 was highly deserved, and it did not feel like an outlier, but rather the start of something remarkable.
Under De Zerbi, the Seagulls dominate games by provoking the opposition into a press in order to create space for quick, incisive build-up play.
Brighton are back in the Premier League’s top eight as a consequence of decisive victories over Newcastle and Manchester United.
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The Seagulls have suffered defeats against West Ham, Aston Villa, Manchester City, and Chelsea, and dips in form are to be expected as De Zerbi’s side juggles Europa League responsibilities.
De Zerbi never abandons his core ideals, and Brighton continues to play one of the most appealing brands of football in the division even when the wins aren’t coming as frequently.
The Seagulls’ most recent setback was a 1-1 draw at home to Burnley, but it’s reasonable to predict they’ll be in the battle for European qualification again by the end of the season.
