While Slot is triumphing at Liverpool, the M United legend criticizes and ridicules him

Rio Ferdinand has sparked controversy by suggesting that Arne Slot, despite a sensational start to the season with Liverpool, should not be considered the Premier League's 'Manager of the Year' so far. This comment has sparked a debate, especially with his former teammate Owen Hargreaves, over who deserves this recognition.

Slot's impressive performance at Liverpool:

Slot has led Liverpool to a comfortable six-point lead at the top of the Premier League table. The team has lost just one game in all competitions and has recorded 22 wins from 26 games under his management. Furthermore, the Reds are virtually assured of a place in the Champions League last 16 and have reached the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.

Ferdinand's controversial view:

Despite these achievements, Ferdinand insists that Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca should be his choice for 'Manager of the Year'. In a debate with Hargreaves on his YouTube channel 'Rio Ferdinand Presents', the former Manchester United defender argued that Maresca deserves more credit for the transformation he has achieved at Chelsea.

Ferdinand bases his argument on the improvements Chelsea have shown compared to last season, where the team performed well below expectations. Chelsea currently sit third in the league, seven points behind Liverpool.

Ferdinand's argument: the context of each club:

"There is not a huge difference," Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel. "I think Maresca has come in and taken a team from being a circus, a calamity..."

Hargreaves quickly interrupted to defend Slot: "He [Maresca] has done incredible. But what I say is that if you are the best in the league, the best team in the Champions League, it's Arne.

Ferdinand replied: "No, no, no, I think it's great. But what I'm saying is that the level of change within clubs is very different. [Maresca] has narrowed that gap more. [Slot] has had a wonderfully settled ship. Chelsea's ownership is so fragmented that 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 [Jurgen] Klopp was there, there was no noise. I'm fighting Maresca's corner. He's had more fires to put out than probably half the league. And he's stamped them out. It's my show, my views."

Analysis and criticism of Ferdinand's stance:

Ferdinand's opinion has drawn criticism as it appears to downplay Slot's achievements in charge of Liverpool. As Hargreaves rightly points out, Liverpool are not only the best team in England at the moment, they are also among the best in Europe.

Furthermore, the idea that Maresca has “fixed” Chelsea is questionable, considering Mauricio Pochettino had already steered the team towards the end of last season before being sacked. While Maresca has done a good job, his impact pales in comparison to what Slot has achieved at Anfield.

Bottom line:

Rio Ferdinand argues that Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca should be “Coach of the Year” over Liverpool’s Arne Slot.

Ferdinand bases his argument on the greater difficulty Maresca has had in transforming Chelsea.

Owen Hargreaves defends Slot, highlighting Liverpool’s dominance in the Premier League and Champions League.

Ferdinand’s opinion has sparked controversy and criticism for downplaying Slot’s success.

The controversy is served. While some defend Ferdinand's argument about the context of each club, most feel that the results speak for themselves and that Slot's performance at Liverpool makes him the leading candidate for 'Manager of the Year' so far.