Former Sheffield United striker, Gareth Taylor, is the latest to tip Chris Wilder for the manager of the year award.
Wilder and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp are the standout candidates this season. The latter is the odds-on favourites with the bookmakers.
Which is unsurprising when the Reds are on course to not only win the Premier League title, but with a record points tally.
They had the chance to beat Manchester City’s win record of 18 consecutive matches at the weekend. Yet they were surprisingly beaten 3-0 by Watford.
That result also ended their hopes of emulating Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ campaign of 2002/03 by remaining unbeaten. Their 44-game run without losing is now second to the 49-match streak of that Gunners team.
SAKA, ANTONY AND 10 PREMIER LEAGUE STARS HEADING TO THEIR FIRST WORLD CUP
Yet that slight blemish on Klopp’s record is unlikely to see anyone other than the German given the award. Although there are still 10 league fixtures left to play for most sides and 11 for the Blades.
Chris Wilder for manager of the year
(Photo by Ben Early – AMA/Getty Images)
However, Taylor – who played for United for two-and-a-half years in the late 1990s – thinks that Wilder deserves the gong.
“You’d be hard pushed not to give it to him, especially you know with the level playing field around him and resources that these other clubs have,” the former Blade told Love Sport Radio.
“He couldn’t do any more let’s put it that way.”
The Blades have certainly been impressive under Wilder during their first top flight season in 12 years. Tipped by many people to go straight back down, the South Yorkshire team are currently eighth in the table with 40 points.
That is despite the fact that, along with Man City and Arsenal, they were the only top half clubs not in league action this weekend. If they win their game in hand, they could rise as high as fifth.
