Arteta and Pep Guardiola Compete for the Prestigious Premier League Title

Recently, the Premier League organizers announced the coaches nominated for the Premier League Manager of the Month award for December. Unsurprisingly, Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola are included in this list.

The Race for the December Manager of the Month Award Premier League 2025/26 is heating up more than ever as the organizers revealed four candidates: Mikel Arteta (Arsenal), Pep Guardiola (Man City), Unai Emery (Aston Villa), and Daniel Farke (Leeds United). While each has their unique achievements, it is clear that the competition is mainly a direct duel between Arteta and Pep, two tacticians reshaping the championship battle this season.

December saw Arsenal reach an almost flawless state. Under Mikel Arteta’s leadership, the “Gunners” won 5 out of 6 matches, showing near-perfect consistency. Beyond just victories, Arsenal demonstrated remarkable stability in their gameplay: excellent control of matches, solid defense, and a ruthless ability to finish opponents. The most notable moment was their win against Aston Villa on December 31st, a match that not only capped a brilliant month but also halted Unai Emery’s impressive streak.

On the other hand, Pep Guardiola remained the familiar Pep: composed, efficient, and barely giving opponents any chance. His Man City side won all 5 matches in December despite facing a tough schedule. The experienced Spanish coach continues to keep Man City as the top title contender, even without pushing the team to their absolute limit.

In direct comparison, Arteta has the advantage in matches played and perfect points, while Pep stands out with proven stability and top-class quality over many years. This is what makes the race for December’s best manager award particularly exciting: one side symbolizes rise and ambition, the other represents the standard of success and experience.

The other two nominees clearly have a harder time competing fairly. Unai Emery and Aston Villa won 5 of 6 games, but their only loss came against Arsenal, putting them somewhat behind. Meanwhile, Daniel Farke, with 2 wins and 3 draws, still made a commendable impact as Leeds defeated Chelsea and held Liverpool to a draw. However, this was not enough to surpass the two giants, Arteta and Pep.

Ultimately, the Manager of the Month award for December is likely to be a head-to-head battle. This is the moment to evaluate who between Arteta and Pep had the more perfect sprint.