Rio Ferdinand overlooks Arne Slot when naming his Premier League Manager of the Season so far.

Rio Ferdinand Overlooks Arne Slot for Premier League Manager of the Season, Favors Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca

Rio Ferdinand has bypassed Liverpool’s Arne Slot when naming his Premier League Manager of the Season so far, opting instead for Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca. During his mid-season awards on his YouTube channel, the former Manchester United defender made some unexpected choices, including his pick for the managerial accolade.

While discussing the most impressive managers this season, Ferdinand’s former teammate Owen Hargreaves highlighted Slot’s exceptional work at Liverpool. Slot has seamlessly replaced Jurgen Klopp and led Liverpool to a six-point lead at the top of the table, with a game in hand. However, Ferdinand chose Maresca, citing the Italian’s remarkable turnaround at Chelsea.

Maresca, who replaced Mauricio Pochettino in the summer, has revitalized Chelsea and is on track to secure Champions League qualification for the first time since the 2022–23 season. Ferdinand argued that Maresca faced greater challenges compared to Slot, who inherited a stable and strong squad from Klopp.

“It’s not a big difference [between Slot and Maresca]. I just think Maresca has taken a team from being a circus, a calamity, and transformed them. The level of change within the clubs is very different. [Slot] inherited a wonderfully settled ship, while Chelsea’s ownership is so fragmented—it’s in the papers every other day,” Ferdinand explained.

He added that Maresca had extinguished more problems at Stamford Bridge than “half the league” and praised his ability to stabilize a chaotic environment.

Chelsea’s unexpected resurgence under Maresca has placed them among the contenders chasing Liverpool, although the head coach has maintained that his team is not yet ready to compete for th

e top spot.