Rio Ferdinand has crowned Enzo Maresca as his manager of the season over Arne Slot and Owen Hargreaves was shocked.
Slot’s Liverpool sit six points clear in first with a game in hand during his first Premier League season.
This was not enough for Man United legend Ferdinand to pick him as manager of the season on his YouTube Channel.
He debated the subject with former teammate Hargreaves with Ferdinand claiming Chelsea’s turnaround from last season when they finished sixth to now being in third trailing Arsenal by one point is a more impressive feat.
The six-time Premier League winner said that there was ‘not a big difference’ between the two but Hargreaves was strong in his opposition.
Hargreaves said: “He’s done unbelievable. But I’m saying if you’re top of the league, best team in the Champions League, it’s Arne.”
Ferdinand replied: “No, no, no, I think he’s great. But I’m saying the level of change within the clubs is very different. [Maresca] has closed that margin more.”
“[Slot] has had a wonderfully settled ship. The ownership in Chelsea is so fragmented, it’s in the papers every other day.
“[Slot] has had a new sporting director but it’s not unstable. It’s still a stable environment. There’s no noise. When Klopp was there, there was no noise.
“I’m fighting Maresca’s corner. He’s had more fires to put out than probably half of the league. And he’s stomped them out.”
Ferdinand joked: “It’s my show, my views.”
Hargreaves added: “Get Rio some water.”
After winning promotion with Leicester City, Maresca swapped shades of blue to arrive in west London, a job which at the time seemed near impossible.
Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino tried to correct Chelsea’s wrongs but they were all replaced.
Maresca stepped in and immediately demanded respect, quickly narrowing the squad down to show which players he trusted to play his style.
An approach which has done so well they are arguably in a title race and most likely will win the Conference League – a trophy the fans will take despite being Europe’s third tier competition.
If Chelsea continue to perform they will return to the Champions League, a tournament they last won in 2021.
But on the other hand Slot has filled the void left by Jurgen Klopp somewhat perfectly.
Liverpool fans expected a period of adjustment but in reality they are playing football at a level debatably better than Klopp’s last season.
Not only are they flying in the league, having lost only one game to Nottingham Forest, they are top of the new Champions League table.
In Europe’s premier competition they remain undefeated despite playing Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan.
Liverpool fans are witnessing electric football as Mohamed Salah continues to torment defences.
