Jenas and Ferdinand Shower Praise on Rice, Debate Top Manager in Mid-Season Awards
Ahead of Chelsea’s match against Luton Town, TNT Sports pundits Rio Ferdinand and Jermaine Jenas offered their picks for mid-season awards, highlighting Arsenal’s Declan Rice and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
Both pundits were particularly impressed with Rice, who joined Arsenal for a hefty £105 million fee in the summer.
Jenas lauded his impact, considering the pressure faced with the high transfer cost and scrutiny.
He emphasized Rice’s exceptional performance as a potential frontrunner for their top award.
For the Manager of the Season, the discussion saw mentions of Unai Emery (Aston Villa), Roberto De Zerbi (Brighton), Ange Postecoglou (Tottenham), and Mikel Arteta (Arsenal).
However, Ferdinand tipped his hat to Jurgen Klopp for revitalizing Liverpool. While Liverpool haven’t replicated their past championship heights, Ferdinand believes they’re back on track with Klopp at the helm.
He sees them as serious title contenders again.
Jenas, on the other hand, had a different choice. While acknowledging Klopp’s achievements, he opted for Bournemouth’s interim manager Gary O’Neil.
He commended O’Neil for steering the Cherries into a comfortable mid-table position despite limited resources and a mid-season managerial change.
The pundits also offered predictions for the remaining season, including who they believe will win the title and which teams will be fighting for relegation.
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