Pep Guardiola’s status as the best manager in world football was solidified after Manchester City’s run to the treble last season, and he is determined to deliver a fourth successive Premier League title in 2023-24. City are right up there again, albeit having not quite reached the same levels this time around, and the title race is very much up in the air as we edge closer to the finishing stretch.

Jurgen Klopp has made Liverpool an elite force again and Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are pushing to go one better than last season, while Aston Villa cannot yet be completely ruled out after emerging as surprise dark horses under Unai Emery.

The battle for Champions League qualification is still open, too, with Ange Postecoglou pushing for a fourth-place finish to top off an impressive debut season at Tottenham while fallen giants Manchester United and Chelsea continue to struggle for consistency.

Newly-promoted clubs Luton Town, Burnley and Sheffield United are facing a huge task to preserve their top-flight status, but Everton and Nottingham Forest have so far been unable to pull clear of the relegation dogfight – which could prove to be every bit as fascinating as the tussle for the title.

GOAL has rated every head coach’s performance so far this season to figure out who should be the frontrunner for the Manager of the Season award – and who could be facing the sack in the near future…

Previous update: December 11, 2023.