Jürgen Klopp and Virgil van Dijk Finalists for Premier League’s Best of Season
Klopp is amongst five managerial finalists for Manager of the Season while Van Dijk is one of seven finalists for Player of the Season.
Despite a disappointing end to Jürgen Klopp’s final season in charge at Liverpool that saw the Reds slip out of title contention in April, it’s worth remembering perhaps that nobody really expected them to be in contention at the start of last month.
At the start of the 2023-24 campaign, the goal was to return to the top four and make a serious push for silverware along the way. Set to finish third and with the League Cup secured, by those pre-season expectations the year has been a success.
It’s only right, then, that in his final year in charge at the club, Klopp has now been named one of five finalists for the Premier League’s Manager of the Season award, while captain Virgil van Dijk is amongst seven finalists for Player of the Season.
The end of season dip will perhaps be enough to ensure neither is favourite, with Van Dijk in particular seeming unlikely to win now that the Reds have fallen off, but career retrospective style honouring of Klopp for this season’s rebuild isn’t out of the question.
It will be tough, though, with Klopp up against likely league winner Pep Guariola of Manchester City and runner-up Mikel Arteta of Arsenal, with Aston Villa’s Unai Emery also rightly in the mix and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola rounding out the list.
For Player of the Season, Van Dijk is up against Erling Haaland and Phil Foden of City, Declan Rice and Martin Odergaard of Arsenal, Cole Palmer of Chelsea, and Alexander Isak of Newcastle with Foden and Rice currently counted as the favourites.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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